If I Stand
by Janie2
Summary: Ok this story is about Alex's death. I am writing it based on some the show and some of my own twists and turns. Everyone will be in this story but it will mostly be about Liz, Isabel and Maria trying to uncover the truth behind Alex death.
1. Default Chapter

If I Stand 

Rateing PG

I do not own anything to do with Roswell.

Part one  
Liz walked into the Whitman back yard. The sadness of the day over coming her again, the funeral had been so hard to take. She could not believe Alex was really gone. His mother had broken down completely they had to help her to the car. Watching Max, Michael, and Kyle help carry the casket was so heartbreaking, it made it all too real for her. She kept thinking this couldn't be real, this can't actually be happening. The minister had asked if anyone wanted to say a few words or any last farewells as he closed the memorial service. How could she say good bye to him, he was one of the best friends she ever had. Liz stopped when she saw Max standing next to Tess and Isabel. She held a letter in her hand that she had received earlier this morning from Alex. It was sent by special messenger. He had written it to her and had arranged for it to be delivered in case anything were to happen to him. She let out a heavy sigh, she had to show this letter to Maria and Isabel but there had not been the opportunity all day. Now she was going to make the time, it was too important, the letter was dated the day of Alex death. She walked straight up to Isabel and placed her arm on hers. "Isabel could we talk it is really important and I need to share something with you right now." Liz told her as she wiped the tears away from her eyes. 

"Sure Liz lets go for a walk." Isabel offered. Her own eyes puffy and swollen from crying. Isabel felt closer to Liz and Maria right now then she did with Max or Michael. Both were trying to be supportive but neither one of them seem to grasp the incredible empty feeling Alex's death had caused in her life. Max looked at Liz and smiled at her. He knew her heart was breaking but she had pulled away from him the most since Alex death and he wasn't sure why. He could only think that she blamed him for Alex's death since he was unable to heal him. He had tried to bring him back, he wanted to be able to more then anything but Alex was already gone. All that remain was his lifeless body. Liz looked at Max only for a moment. Her heart breaking all the more. 

As Isabel and Liz walked away she explained about the letter to her and that they needed to get Maria. "Maybe we should show the letter to Max and the others too. " Isabel told her. 

"No,… Isabel no, we can't. This is Alex last request and I need to know that I can trust you or else I will just share the letter with Maria. Besides there are things that you have to know before you make your decision about going away to school." Liz told her as she walked up to Michael and Maria. Michael had his arms wrapped around Maria, trying to comfort her. Alex death had hit them all so hard. "Michael I hope you don't mind but we need to talk to Maria alone if that is ok." Liz asked him as she wiped the tears away from her eyes. Maria looked at both Liz and Isabel for a moment then she smiled at Michael and told him to go on that she would be fine. Michael got up and walked over to stand with Max and tess. Liz looked up to see Max staring at her, she smiled at him then lowered her eyes back down to the letter she still held in her hand. "This is from Alex, it was delivered to me this morning before the funeral. I know that your both hurting so much too right now but you need to read this Alex death was not a suicide and it wasn't any kind of accident either." Liz told them as she removed the letter from the envelope and began reading it to them softly. 

Dear Liz 

It is April 26, 2001 at about 12:30 am. If you are reading this, it can only mean one thing, that I am no longer with you. There have been some strange things happening to me for awhile now, I am not really sure when it started. I fear that I am in some way being used by Isabel enemies to get at her and I struggle for control of my own thoughts, mind and body. I have periods of lost time when I wake up and I am in a totally different place lost and confused. What ever is happening to me, it is getting worse, it is almost as if I am loosing myself all together. Liz something has control over me and I am finding myself no longer able to resist it. I don't know what is happening to me, I can only describe it as lost time or black outs. Afterwards I wake up with terrible pain and blinding headaches that last for days after each episode. I know things too, things that I don't really understand about Max and you its like someone is trying to feed information to me but it is being scrambled somehow. This happened to me again tonight, I woke up at the UFO center, and I had this crystal object with me. It is a long cylinder shaped object clear in color. I have no idea what this thing is or where it came from. I wanted to show it to Isabel, but I don't know if I'll get the chance now. I hid it Liz at our old hide out when we were kids. I know this is going to sound strange but don't trust Tess, I am not sure how I know this but she is not who she believes she is, she has another purpose here. Talk to Isabel and Maria, for now trust them alone. You must look to your future to find the answers. This thing I have possession of it has answers to your past. Answers to Max and the others past, answers that the skins want buried at all costs. I have watched you Liz, watched you with Max I know you understand what I am trying to say. I have seen the great sacrifice that you have made for him even if he does not understand it, and I know that you are in such pain. Liz, you and Maria have always been like sisters to me my dearest friends. I am sorry that I will not be there, that we will not go to college together, or dance at each others weddings some day. My one regret is that I did not take more chances that I did not leap, I always looked when it came to life. Liz what ever is holding you back from Max fix it, take the leap because love is the most important thing of all and it is a stronger force then any alien could ever come up with. I love Isabel so much, she means the world to me, I wish I would have told her. It is because of that love that I have made the decision to do what I must now do to protect her. I would not be able to live with myself anyway if I brought any harm to her. Please know that I do not blame Isabel or the others for what has happened to me, promise me you will not let her blame herself. She is so special so wonderful. Be strong and remember your old pal Alex always. 

Love to you   
Alex Whitman 

Fresh tears spilled down Liz cheeks as she struggled to read the letter to them both. Isabel's heart broke into a thousand pieces at what she heard. Maria put her hand up to her head and began shaking and crying uncontrollably. "God Liz he was being taking over just like Brody or something."

" This is all my fault Alex is dead because of me. " Isabel told them both. Liz put the letter away and took Isabel hand into her own. "No it's not, its mine. I caused Alex death, I changed the future, and I will never be able to forgive myself for that. If only I had known." Liz told her. Maria looked at Liz she knew at once what Liz was thinking and she leaned over and wrapped her arms around her. "We need to get out of here we need to go get what ever it is that Alex has hidden and then we need to talk. Liz you have to tell Isabel everything and we have to figure out what Alex was trying to tell us about Tess." 

"I'll tell Max and the others that we have to leave that Liz is just to upset right now and we need to be with her. I'll be right back." Isabel told them both. 

Maria held Liz in her arms and whispered into her ear. "I know what you're thinking Liz but you had no way of knowing that Alex would die. You did what you did out of love for Max." 

Liz did not say a word nothing could ease the pain and the guilt she was feeling over Alex death. Isabel walked up to Max, Michael, and Tess. "Maria and I are going to take Liz home, she is not in a good place she believes Alex death is her fault and she need us right now. I'll catch up to you at home later ok Max." 

"Isabel wait a minute... " Max called to her as she was walking away. "Maybe I should come along, I thought maybe she might want..." 

"Max let me and Maria handle this. There are some things she needs to tell us and it would just be to hard with you there. I promise I will take care of her ok." Isabel told him as she kissed him on the cheek and then walked over to Liz and Maria. Max reluctantly watched them go. 

Isabel got into the jetta with Maria and Liz. "So where is this hide out that you all use to have as kids any way." 

"Its not far from here, it's an old tree fort that we use to have on Alex grandfathers farm. His parent's inherited the property several years ago after Alex grandfather died. " We haven't been out there in years though." Liz explained to Isabel. They drove the short distance with out talking each ones mind preoccupied with thoughts of Alex. Maria drove up the long driveway. Everything was quiet and still. A storm was moving in and the skies had grown dark and cloudy. Liz pulled her coat up around her shoulders and an eerie wind began blowing. Isabel followed Maria and Liz through the back gate and into a large back yard. In the center of the yard was an old oak tree. At the top of the tree was the fort that Liz, Maria, and Alex had worked on when they were kids. 

"I feel like his here with us right now. It's strange but coming here I actually feel closer to him." Maria told them both. Liz smiled at Maria. "Yeah I feel it to, its like he is all around us or something. Maybe it wasn't just chance that he hid what ever it is here maybe he knew we would need to be near him and what better place for that then here." 

They all climbed up the old latter to the tree house and climbed in. Isabel laughed a little at the things that where stored inside, old toys and childhood keepsakes. Her heart felt as if were breaking all over again. God she missed him so much. "I know you don't think that I loved Alex, but I did. I loved him so much, everything has just been so confusing over this last year you know, and I took it for granted that..." Isabels voice broke as she began crying again. "I took him for granted, I just thought that he would just always be here and that we would have time...I never thought that he would be taken from me so soon." 

"None of us knew, it's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault." Maria told them as she looked over at Liz. 

"Come on Maria you know its my fault, we both do, if I hadn't changed the future Alex would still be alive we know that for a fact." Liz told her. 

"What are you talking about, what do you mean if you hadn't changed the future? I don't understand what you're talking about here?" Isabel asked Liz. 

"Max came back to me last year from the future, he used the granilith to travel through time from the year 2014. He came to tell me that I had to force his younger self to fall out of love with me. He told me that in the future he and I got married and that because we were together tess left Roswell for good. This made you weaker because the four of you have to be together in order for your powers to be stronger. The skins had won because you were weaker without Tess. He also told me that you and Michael were both killed in the war against the skins so in order to save the two of you and the world he and I had to break up so his younger self would be with tess. I pretended to sleep with Kyle, so Max would fall out of love with me. I didn't know that by changing things I would some how cause Alex death." 

"I don't understand even if what you are saying is true then how could this possibly have caused Alex death now." Isabel asked confused by what Liz is telling her. 

"Max told me that when he came from the future he and I got married at the age of 19, that's still more then a year away from now, he told me that you and Alex danced at our wedding. That we all danced all night long at my wedding. He would still be here, he would still be alive if it wasn't for me changing the future." Liz told them as she stood staring out over the back yard. Isabel sat down on the little bench trying to comprehend everything Liz had just told her. Liz walked over and looked down the latter. Her mind slipped back ward into time as she watched herself, Maria, and Alex playing in the yard. They were younger much younger. Maria had climbed the tree house latter and so had Liz; they were standing at the top calling down to Alex who was too afraid to climb up. "Come on Alex come up, it's really cool and you can see forever up here." Liz called to him. 

"I can't, what if I fall, what if the latter breaks. Its to high." Alex called back to them from the ground below. 

"Come on up here Alex Whitman or I am going to hang pink Barbie curtains in the window and then I'll tell everyone at school that you have pink Barbie curtains in your tree house. " Maria teased him 

"It's not safe, I can't do it." Alex cried. Liz climbed back down the latter and stood next to him. "Alex you can climb up first and I go up right after you that way if you fall you'll land on me ok." Liz told him as they worked there way up the latter together. Liz smiled as she remembered how thrilled he was once he made it to the top. "You guys aren't going to tell anyone that I was afraid are you?" Alex asked unsure of them. 

Liz and Maria both held up their hands and placed the other one across their hearts. "We swear" They told him in unison. 

"Liz are you ok...Liz...Liz earth to Liz." Isabel was calling her name. She turned to see them both staring at her. 

"Gosh Maria your right Alex is here," Liz said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I guess we had better get looking. As I remember it he use to keep a treasure box in that old chest maybe, he put it in there. " Liz told them as she helped Maria drag out the box from the corner. 

Maria opened the box and began going through the things. One by one old memories of Alex and their childhood together washed over her. She lifted up an old picture and handed it to Isabel. "He used to stare at the picture for hours we use to tease him about the crush he had on you." Isabel took the picture from her and looked at it. It was her sixth grade class photo. Alex had circled her out from all the other kids. She felt over whelmed with emotions and sat back down. How could she have been so stupid not to realize how much he meant to her until it was to late. It was Liz voice that broke through her thoughts. "Well its not here, I can't find anything here that is alien or other wise. " Liz told them both. 

"Wait a minute didn't Alex say that he had a hiding place that he used to put his stuff that he didn't want anyone to find. Remember that year that he got an F in P.E. and he did not want his dad to see his report card so he hid it out here. Where was that?" Maria asked Liz. 

"Oh yeah, I remember, you'll have to help me up." Liz asked Maria as she climbed up on the bench. Maria lifted Liz up so she could reach the top of the roof to the tree house. She slid two of the panel's back out of the way so she could crawl through the top of the trees house and into the higher branches of the tree. A few moments later she came back with a small shoebox that was tide shut. "Here take this so I can get back down." Liz handed the box to Isabel, then she climbed back through the roof and put the boards back into their place. 

All three girls sat down and stared at the box for a moment not sure of what they were going to find inside of it. Maria took the box and untied the old rope that held it shut. Isabel lifted the lid off slowly to reveal the rod shaped crystal that Alex had told them about in his letter. Liz picked it up and examined it. As she was holding it, the crystal began to glow a beautiful bright white. Isabel took it in her hand and the glow of the crystal grew even stronger. "Alex was right this definitely is not from Earth. What do you think it is?" Maria asked them as Isabel handed it over to her to look at. As Maria held the crystal the color changed and the dimensions changed. It was no longer oblong in shape but a perfect sphere and it glowed the most brilliant color of blue. "Did you see that? Did you see how it just changed when I touched it? This is to strange." Maria handed the sphere back to Liz and it quickly changed back into the shape it was before. 

"What are we going to do with this thing, what could it have to do with our past and what did Alex mean when he said we would have to look to the future for the answers?" Isabel asked feeling a sense of frustration wash over her. 

"I don't know but for now we can't talk to anyone, we have to keep this to ourselves just the three of us." Liz told them both. 

"You don't want us to even tell Max or Michael about this. Liz I think we should tell them and I think you need to tell Max about you and Kyle too. Even Alex said in the letter for you to find a way to fix things between you too." Isabel reminded her. 

"I can't I know what Alex said in his letter but he didn't know about Max coming from the future to tell me about tess. If I tell Max what has happened it may change things even more and I don't want to be the cause of your or Michaels death. I have to live with the guilt of what I caused to happen to Alex for the rest of my life I just couldn't bare it if ...if I..." Liz broke down and Maria and Isabel wrapped there arms around her. "Ok for now we keep it between us." Isabel told her. 

"Maybe Alex left us some other clue something that could tell us more about this. We need to talk to the sheriff we need to know every last detail of information that he has concerning the events around Alex death." Isabel told them both. "I'll go and talk to him myself you two go back to the Crashdown and hide this thing wait for me there ok. 

End of Part one  
"IF I Stand Let Me Stand on the Promise that you will pull me through."  



	2. Chapter 2

Part two  
Isabel knocked on the front door at the Valenti's. She had to be careful about talking to the sheriff in front of Tess she realized. Her heart sank as Tess opened the front door instead of Jim. "Oh Isabel hi, so how is Liz is she doing any better?" 

"Yeah she is ok. Actually, I am here to see the sheriff is he here. Its important I need to talk to him as soon as possible." Isabel asked looking past tess to see if anyone else was home. 

"No he and Kyle are both gone, they were going to the Crashdown after they left the memorial service. Max actually brought me home." Tess told her. 

"Oh you and Max have gotten a lot closer lately." Isabel commented. 

"Yeah, its strange I never thought he would remember our life together. I had almost given up, I even thought I was beginning to have feelings for Kyle. I even tried to tell him how I feel about him at the prom but he made it really clear that he didn't feel the same and now I guess it is all for the best because max and I are finally working things out " Tess told her. "Oh Isabel I am sorry I didn't mean anything by that I know you and Liz are friends. 

"Its ok, I am happy for you and Max are friends. He has been feeling really bad too, it's good that he is finally able to move on." Isabel lied to her. "Well I 'll just go see if I can catch the sheriff over at the Crashdown. Thanks." 

Liz and Maria walked into the Crashdown together. They both saw the sheriff and headed towards him and Kyle. "Sheriff can I talk to you for a moment." Liz asked sitting down next to him in the booth. Maria sat down next to Kyle. "I need you to tell me exactly what happened on the night that Alex died." 

"Liz what is this all about, you already know everything about that night I called you all as soon as I arrived on the scene of the accident." Jim told her. 

Maria put her hand over Liz and smiled at the sheriff. "I know you told us, but Liz feels like this maybe her fault, she had an argument with Alex earlier that day and well it would just really help to know everything that Alex did that evening before the accident. I'm sure you must have talked with his parents did they say anything,… anything at all?" Maria asked. 

Jim smiled at her reassuringly. "Liz it had nothing to do with you, trust me. You can't beat yourself up about this. But if it will help, Alex parents said that he was fine only that he had a terrible headache that hadn't gone away. His mom was going to take him to the doctor but she said Alex seemed reluctant to go. She said they had ordered a pizza just before Alex took off in the truck but nothing strange happened he signed for the delivery and that was it. She said that Alex went to his room, changed his clothes then he left, she didn't seem him again the whole night." Jim explained.

"And that's it nothing else he didn't mention anything to them or say where he was headed." Liz asked.

"Well we know from Isabel that he was coming to meet her when the accident happened." Jim told them.

"Thank you sheriff that helps me. I know it is hard to have to keep talking about it I just had to be sure." Liz told him as she wiped away a tear from her eyes. 

"Its ok, just remember what I said its not anyone's fault, what happened was a tragic accident that's all." Jim told her. 

Isabel walked through the Crashdown door just as Maria and Liz were getting up to go upstairs. Maria motioned for Isabel to follow them as they headed up to Liz room. Kyle shook his head puzzled by their strange behavior. Once in her room Liz picked up the telephone and called the Roswell Family Pizza Parlor. 

"Who are you calling Liz?" Isabel asked. 

"The sheriff said that Alex signed for a pizza that his parents had delivered to the house not long before he got into the truck that night. I am calling the pizza parlor and seeing if the delivery guy remembers anything out of the ordinary." 

"How do you know what pizza place they ordered from, there are about a 100 different pizza places here in Roswell." Isabel asked her as she sat down in the chair. 

"It's the Roswell Family Pizza place, the Whitman's have gone to the same place for pizza since Alex and us were little kids." Maria told her. 

"Yes, I want to ordered a large pizza, yeah I want it delivered to the Crashdown restaurant. Tell them to ask for Liz. Oh what kind, umm cheese and pepperoni. Twenty minutes that's great." Liz hung the telephone up and sat down on the bed next to Maria. "I guess now we just wait." 

"I just hope it's the same guy that delievered to Alex that night." Isabel told them.

"Even if it isn't maybe he will be able to tell us who was working that night." Liz told her as she walked over to her window to look out it.

I just hope that whoever this guy is he can remember something that will help us to understand better what happened to Alex that night. I hate that people think Alex might have killed himself when all along he was trying to protect me." Isabel told them both as tears formed in her eyes. 

"I know what you mean, but Isabel if this turns out to be alien stuff and I am like 99% sure that it is your not going to able to ever clear Alex name, you would expose you all if you did." Maria told her. Liz opened her backpack and took out the crystal. "So where do we put this thing?" Liz asked. 

Isabel took the crystal and wrapped it up in one of Liz old sweatshirts. "Here hide it in your closet somewhere your mom won't accidentally find it ok." 

Liz was just about to put the crystal in her closet when she heard someone outside her bedroom door. "Hey are you guys in here?" Michael called to them from outside the door. Maria jumped up and pushed the door the rest of the way shut. "Michael wait, Liz isn't dressed don't come in here." She yelled to him, as the door slammed shut. Liz hid the crystal in the bottom of her closet then she changed her top quickly so Michael wouldn't ask to many questions. Maria opened the door and let him in. "Umm thanks for slamming the door in my face I wasn't going to come in you know. So are you ok?" Michael asked Maria. "You guys were gone for along time this afternoon." Liz watched Michael with Maria, ever since Alex death he had become so protective of her. Maria whispered to Michael. "I am ok we all are just needed some time to talk. Thanks for checking in on me though." 

"Yeah well I also wanted to let you know that your mom is downstairs waiting for you and Max has been looking for you Isabel." Michael told them. 

"Alright, I'm going to go talk with Max. Liz call me ok, keep in touch." Isabel told her as she hugged her and then left to go home. 

Liz walked down with Michael and Maria. "Ok I'll be at home, all night so call Me." Maria told her as she hugged her goodbye. Liz promised that she would. Liz sat down on the bottom stair and pulled her hair back from her face. Michael watched Liz sitting there by herself, he walked over and sat down next to her for a few minutes. He leaned over and whispered. "You know Liz you can call me too, I mean if you just need to talk or anything. Hell I'm not that great at this friendship stuff but I am here and I can listen. OK?" 

Liz leaned over and kissed Michael on the cheek. "Yeah ok and thanks Michael, thanks for being there for Maria too." 

"I know it's been ruff. I know that out of all of us you have had to kind of go through this alone, but I want you to know that even if Max isn't there for you. The rest of us are and well you know..." Michael told her. 

"Thanks Michael that means a lot. Today with Isabel and Maria really helped me to figure some things out or at least begin to figure some things out." Liz told him as he got up to leave. She watched as they walked out into the restaurant. She was so tired she had not slept much since Alex death. It was eating at her so much tearing her heart into pieces, the thought that she played apart in him dying now. Liz lowered her head down into her hands. She closed her eyes for just a moment. 

"Hey Parker, why are you just sitting like that come on lets go to our hide out. I got some new comic books I am dying to show you and Maria." Liz lifted her head to see Alex standing in front of her, he was so little, so young. His hair was all scuffy and he was wearing his favorite baseball cap. His mouth was full of bubble gum and it smacked as he talked.

"I can't go today Alex, my mom and dad want me to stay with them." Liz told him as she wiped away the tears from her eyes. Alex sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulder. "What happened why can't you come with Maria and me to the club house? Were going to ride our bikes over, it will be a lot of fun." 

"My grandpa Parker died last night and we are driving over to Albuquerque to be with my grandma Claudia. She's really sad my dad said and it would make her feel good to spend some time with me." Liz explained. 

"Wow that's sad, I'm sorry about your Grandpa. Are you ok?" Alex asked her. 

"Yeah I am ok, he was sick for a while you know so my dad told me that this was gonna happen. I just wish I knew one thing for sure?" Liz asked as she wiped her nose on the sleeve of her shirt. 

"What, is it? Maybe I know the answer. I'll tell you if I do I promise." Alex told her. 

"Where do you think he is, I mean do you think he is in heaven or what cause I would like to think he is some place where he isn't hurting any more from the cancer stuff, ya know." Liz told him trying to smile. 

"I think that people who are kind and good, and do a lot of stuff for other people like your grandpa did, I think they go to a good place ya know some where that they are happy. I think you should just think of him some place nice. Who knows maybe he is even looking at you right now, watching over you and stuff, ya never know. My grandma told me when my grandpa died that he watches over me from heaven so when I'm sad I just wave my hand and say HI, it makes me feel lots better." Alex told her as he got up to leave. Liz watched as he walked away from her. She called out to him not wanting him to leave but he disappeared. Liz eyes suddenly flew open tears were streaming down her face as she searched around for Alex. Realizing that it must have been a dream, she sat back down on the step. She lifted her face upward to heaven and slowly waved her hand. The sound of someone knocking at the back door interrupted her thoughts. Liz opened the back door to see a young man dressed in jeans and a tee shirt standing at the door. "Hey, Liz are you Liz, large cheese and pepperoni Pizza?" 

"Yeah that's me, So are you the regular delivery guy who works for the Family Pizza parlor?" Liz asked as she read his nametag. "Dave?" 

"I am the only delivery guy who works for them. My grandparents own the place and I do it to help them out and earn extra cash." Dave told her. "Don't you go to Roswell high, I think I have seen you around before?" 

"Yeah I do, so did you know Alex Whitman?" Liz asked him 

"No not really I heard what happened to him though, I heard that he killed himself or something why was he a friend of yours?" Dave asked her. 

"Yeah, yeah he was, we are all just really trying to make some kind of since to it you know. I heard that on the night that he died you might have delivered some pizza to him before the accident happened. I was just wondering if you remember anything strange happening that night. Like if he said or did anything that seemed odd to you?" Liz asked. 

"Oh well nothing really, he was quite really quite didn't say to much. He kept rubbing his head like he had a headache or something but other then that everything seemed normal" Dave said trying to remember. "Oh yeah he did take a really long time to sign the receipt like he was having trouble writing or something he even wrote a bunch of numbers down on the receipt." 

"Do you have the receipt still or do you at least remember what he wrote on it. It would be a really big help if I knew what he had written down on that receipt." Liz told him 

"Dam, No I don't remember and I have to turn in all the receipts at the end of each shift so I don't have it any more. I did give him a copy back though that night so maybe its at his house somewhere you know you could check it out if you think it is that important ." Dave told her. 

"Thanks a lot I will." Liz told him as she took the pizza and he left. Liz put the pizza down on the counter an headed for the door she had to see Isabel. 

End of Part Two

"IF I stand let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through."  



	3. chapter 3

Part three 

Isabel walked into Max bedroom and sat down next to him on the bed. "So Michael said you were looking for me, well here I am, what's up?" 

"You were gone for along time today, I just wanted to make sure Liz is ok, I mean she isn't going to do anything stupid is she." Max asked as he sat up in the bed. 

"No Max she's fine, she just needs some time, we all do." Isabel told him. 

"Yeah, it's just that she has been so distant. I thought maybe she might have said something about me too, I just hope she doesn't blame me, I wanted to heal Alex more then anything it was just to late." Max told her. Isabel wrapped her arms around him. "Max we are all just hurting so much from this whole thing. Give Liz some time I know one of these days she is going to be able to answer all your questions just do not write her off yet ok. Give her a chance for me be patient." Isabel told him. 

Max looked at her for along time. "I'm trying it just gets harder every day though." 

"I was talking with tess earlier, how are things, I notice that the two of you are getting to be really good friends, anything you want to tell me about?" Isabel asked. 

"I don't know, remember I told you right after I tried to heal Larek and I got all these visions of my past life with tess, well she has been helping me to understand them a little better." Max tried to explain. 

"When you say helping you what do you mean exactly?" Isabel asked him. 

"Its hard to explain just that when I am with her now I remember more and the truth is she has just really been there for me." Max explained to her. 

"Max I know that you're still hurting a lot over Liz but please remember that things aren't always what they seem. I just do not want you to write off what you and Liz had. I wish I had listened to my own heart more with Alex instead I never had the chance to tell him just how much he meant to me and now I never will." 

"Why all this concern about Liz and I all the sudden you never cared to much before? Has she said something to you?" Max asked puzzled by Isabel behavior. 

"Max, Liz has talked to me, I don't want to lie to you, but I promised not to say anything to you, I hope you will understand." Isabel told him. Max looked at her frustrated. "Secrets can pull us apart Isabel, you and Liz both should know that by now." 

"I'm sorry Max this is the way it has to be for right now, well I'm going to take a shower. I just want to shut down for awhile you know and not think. It's been a really long day and I am really tired." Isabel told him as she headed to her room. Max lay on his bed trying not to think about Liz or what Isabel told him. He only wished one of them would tell him the truth. Then again, he wished he could do like Isabel and just shut down but he couldn't. The look he saw in Liz eyes this afternoon still haunted him. She seemed so lost so far away as if she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders alone. He wanted more then anything to help her but she had purposefully kept her distance from him. Things had become so confusing over the last few weeks. He knew he still loved Liz but now he had all these memories of Tess and their past life together to deal with. It was confusing to him. Before he had just thought of Tess as a friend but when Brodys heart stopped beating and he had tried to heal him his mind was flooded with all these memories and visions of his life with Tess. Ever since then, he had grown a lot closer to her. Maybe it was all for the best anyway. He knew that knowing him had only brought pain into Liz life, loosing Alex made him realize that none of them should be involved with their human friends. It was just too dangerous for them. Max thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone knocking at the front door. He opened the door to see Liz standing there. Her eyes were swollen from crying so much and she looked as if she had not slept in days. "Liz are you alright? What are you doing here?" 

"Yea Max I am ok, I just needed to talk to Isabel,… is she still here?" Liz asked trying not to look him directly in the eyes. 

"Yeah she is up taking a shower. Do you want to come in and wait for her." max asked her. Liz nodded and Max led her upstairs to Isabel room. Liz sat down on the bed and waited as Max told Isabel she was there. "So we haven't really gotten to talk to much since the prom. I just wanted you to know how sorry I am about Alex. I wish I could have done more. I have all this power and yet I couldn't save him as much as I wanted to it was out of my control." Max told her. 

"Max it's not your fault you shouldn't blame yourself for Alex death. I know you did everything you could to try and bring Alex back." Liz told him her voice barely above a whisper. "Alex knows it to, somewhere he knows that you tried Max." 

"Do you really feel that way, Because I thought maybe that was why you were avoiding me I thought maybe you were angry with me. " Max asked her. 

"I'm sorry I wasn't trying to hurt you I was just trying to give you and tess some room I didn't want to get in the way." Liz told him as she wiped away the tears from her eyes. 

"Tess,...why would you need to give Tess and I room?" Max asked puzzled by her statement. 

"Max I saw you kissing Tess at the prom. After we argued, I felt terrible. I realized that I had made a mistake and we needed to talk there were things I should have said to you but then I found you with tess and I saw you kissing her. I knew that it was over for us and I just thought I should back off and give you two some room that's all." Liz told him quietly. 

"You saw us, Liz that was ... " Max tried to explain but Isabel interrupted them. 

"Hey Liz,... max do you mind if Liz and I talk alone its important." Isabel asked him as she opened her bedroom door waiting for him to leave. Max looked back at Liz then reluctantly got up to leave. Isabel closed the door and sat down next to Liz. "Did you find anything out about Alex?" 

"Yeah I think so anyway. The delivery guy said that the only thing Alex did that seemed strange was that he took a really long time to sign the receipt and that he even wrote some other numbers down on the receipt. He said he gave a copy of the receipt to Alex I thought maybe we should go to his house an try to find it." Liz told her. 

"Ok call Maria and have her pick us up I'll go get dressed. I heard the Whitman's say they were going out of town after the memorial service so if were going to find it we should go tonight." Isabel offered. Liz agreed and called Maria as Isabel went into the bathroom to finish getting dressed. Isabel went in and let Max know that she was going out with Liz and Maria for awhile that she would be home soon and for him to cover with their parents. Max was just about to ask where they were going when the front door slammed shut. 

Liz and Isabel got into the car and explained everything to Maria as she drove them over to the Whitman's house. It was completely dark when they arrived except for one small yard light in the back doorway. Isabel let them in through the back door and they stumbled around in the dark trying to make there way to Alex room. Liz pulled out handed them both a flashlight and they began searching through Alex things. "Ok, the receipt should have some numbers written on it and it will be dated the 26th." Liz told them. Maria began going through Alex desk drawers searching for the small white receipt. She hit the play button on his CD player and put on the headphones. Tears filled her eyes as she listens to Alex playing music with his band. The Whit's that's what his band was called she smiled to herself she remembered all the times she had teased him about the name. She called them the Twits instead. Alex would get so annoyed with her but he knew she meant it in good-hearted fun. Maria wiped away the tears as they rolled down her cheeks. Alex had always been there for her she thought to herself as she continued searching. 

Isabel sat down on the bed and went through Alex nightstand. She opened the drawer and found the pictures of the two of them at the prom. He looked so good. That night had been magical for the two of them they had really connected and Isabel truly realized how much she loved Alex that night. She wished she would have told him she wished she would have forced him to talk about some of the things that were bothering him. Maybe if she had he would still be here with her now. She held the picture up to her heart as the memories of that night washed over her. They were dancing on the balcony of the Roswell Shardon hotel. The stars were beautiful that night and the skies were clear it was like magic. The music drifted softly out to them as he held her in his arms. 

"This is perfect, being here with you tonight it's exactly as I imagined it would be." Isabel told him as she lay her head against his shoulder. 

"Yeah, I feel it too. I have missed you Isabel, missed you a lot. I'm really glad you decided to go with me tonight." Alex whispered into her hair. 

"You're the only one I wanted to go with. Alex your my best friend you mean the world to me I hope you know that. I missed you terribly when you were away in Sweden a thousand times I wanted to call you" Isabel told him as she pulled her head back to look into his eyes. Alex smiled at her there was that word again friend his heart sank a little. "Yeah I know." He said with a hint of disappointment in his voice. 

"What's wrong, you have been a little distant the past few weeks is everything ok. I mean if something is bothering you, you would tell me right?" Isabel asked him softly. 

"No its just that I wish..." Alex tried to tell her as Tess and Kyle walked out on the balcony to talk. Seeing the two of them in the heat of conversation Isabel pulled Alex, back into the ballroom to give them some privacy. 

Isabel looked at the picture in her hand of Alex again. God I wish I would have let you finish that sentence. I wish I would have made you understand just how much you meant to me as a friend and how very much more Isabel thought to herself as she ran her finger over Alex face. It was Liz voice that drew her out of her thoughts. "Isabel, find anything over there?" 

"No,...um sorry, no I haven't found anything yet. I'll keep looking though." Isabel told her as he wiped the fresh tears from her eyes. 

Liz sat down on the floor and began going through Alex dirty clothesbasket. Everything was still here the shirt that he had worn earlier that day. Liz recognized it. She began going through the pockets hoping that maybe he had changed before going out that night. She slid her hand into his old jean pocket and felt a slip of paper. She quickly pulled her hand back out and scanned it to see if it were the right one. "I have it, here it is Maria, Isabel come here and look at this." Liz held the flashlight up so they could both read the numbers that Alex had written down on the receipt. None of them recognized the them as meaning anything to them. Isabel read them aloud trying to understand what they could mean. 

" 103020000406200105072001, does this mean anything to either of you. I do not recognize this as anything. Its way to long to be a combination to any kind of lock or anything so what is it?" Isabel asked them. 

"I have no idea. So now what, we are back to square one. " Maria told them as she sat down on the floor next to Liz. 

"Not necessarily. Tomorrow at school we can use the computers to run a search on these numbers. The science computer has a program that will run numbers and search out if they are any kind of code mathematical or otherwise. Mrs. Thomas was using it to show us how our government uses computer programs to break codes of other governments top secret military information. We need to meet at the science lab first thing in the morning to run these codes." Liz told them both as they headed home. 

Max was waiting for Isabel as she walked into her room. "Where have you been? Its 2:30 in the morning, you left hours ago. What is really going on with you and Liz?" Max demanded to know. 

"Nothing she just needed to talk and so did I. We just got caught up talking that's all." Isabel lied to him. 

"Isabel you and Liz have never been that close and now all the sudden your best friends what is really going on?" Max asked her a little less angry. 

"I told you nothing its just that we are both really hurting right now and it helps to talk about Alex with some one who understands that's all." Isabel told him as she walked into the bathroom to get changed into her sweats. 

"What is that suppose to mean someone who understands. I know that Alex was your friend he was all our friend you can talk to me I understand." Max tried to tell her. 

"Not the way Liz and Maria do ok Max. Its not anything against you its just that I just really need to be able to share with them they were the closest to Alex and it just really helps me so please just try to understand." Isabel told him got into bed and then told him goodnight. She was exhausted she needed some sleep. She wanted to be at school early in the morning to help Liz run those numbers. Max stopped in the doorway for a moment and looked over at Isabel he couldn't help it, he felt like she was hiding something from him again and it made him feel terrible inside. 

Part four   
Liz got to school the next morning she could not wait to run the numbers. There was a force inside of her pushing her forward. She did not know why but she felt compelled to find out what it was that Alex was trying to tell them. Somehow, she had to find a way. Liz waited in the quad for Isabel and Maria to show up. They both arrived at the same time. Maria looked over at Liz and then Isabel they both looked so tired. "I can't go with you yet. Mr. Randale bumped into me in the hall and he asked me if I wouldn't mind cleaning out Alex locker and taking his things to his parents. I told him that I would, I don't want a stranger going through Alex things. I'll come to the lab as soon as I am finished ok." Maria told them as she walked off. Liz and Isabel headed for the lab. 

"So do you know how to do this, I mean do you know how to run this program?" Isabel asked her as she sat down in front of the computer. 

"Yeah I am pretty sure I can. Go ahead and read the numbers to me." Liz told her as she opened the computer program and began searching through the different screens until she came to the right one. "Ok this is it. Now all I have to do type in the numbers and let it search them out. If it is a code of any kind then the computer should be able to decipher it." Liz told her. Isabel read the numbers into her just as Alex wrote them on the receipt. 

"How long should this take, I mean before the computer tells us if it finds anything." Isabel asked as she pulled up a chair and sat down. 

"I have no idea, it could take a few minutes it could take a couple of hours I don't know for sure." Liz told her. They watched as the computer ran the numbers waiting for some results. 

"So did Max ask why you were leaving so soon this morning?" Liz asked as they waited. 

"I just left before he even got up this morning. Its hard not telling him you know? Oh I am sorry of course, you know. Liz I don't think I could have done it all these months. It must have been so hard for you. Having to give up the one guy that you love in the world, knowing that you could have ended up married only to have him come back in time and tell you that it has to end. I admire you I just want to tell you that. The way you sacrificed everything for us. I won't ever doubt your love for max again." Isabel told her as they both began to cry a little.   
Liz laughed as they both wiped the tears away from their eyes. "I don't think I have ever cried so much in my entire life as I have these last few months, thanks Isabel thanks for saying that to me it means so much." 

Maria was busy cleaning out Alex locker her mind lost in thoughts of Alex. She didn't hear Michael as he walked up behind her. She jumped and dropped the books and binder in her hand as Michael placed his hand upon her waist. "OH my gosh Michael you scared me to death what the hell are you doing sneaking up on me like that?" Maria snapped at him. 

Michael bent down and helped her pick up the books. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. What are you doing in Alex locker any way?" Michael asked her. 

"Mr. Randale asked me to clean it out for Alex parents. Its just so strange you know. I feel like I am doing something wrong like Alex is going to come walking through those doors and demand to know why I am going through his stuff like this." Maria told him as tears formed in her eyes again. She reached up and wiped her eyes dry and sniffled. "Dam, I promised myself that I was not going to do this I was not going to cry any more. Its just so hard I miss him so much you know." Michael wrapped his arms around her. Maria lowered her head down against his shoulder. Michael had been so great, and supportive. She knew she would never have made it through this without him. "Ok enough of that I have to get this done here hand me the rest of his notebooks will you?" Maria asked as she finished putting Alex things into her backpack. 

"What's this all about?" Michael asked her as he handed her Alex notebook. Maria looked at in shock as she read the same numbers that Alex had written on the receipt were written repeatedly on every page of his notebook along with the words "Tess is not the one." 

Maria took the notebook and shoved it into her backpack. "Umm I'm not really sure it was probably a song that Alex was working on. You know he was always writing new songs and music for his band. He told me once that he really like the name Tess thought it would work great in a song." Maria told him. 

"Whatever,...want me to help you take this stuff over to Alex house later?" Michael asked her. 

"No, that's ok cause actually they are out of town for awhile you know to get away from all the ugly rumors and stuff. I'll just take care of it later. I better get going now though cause I totally promised Liz I would help her with some stuff so I will see you later right?" Maria asked as she closed up Alex locker and walked off not waiting for Michael to answer.   
Liz and Isabel were still waiting for the computer to search out possible codes when Maria walked in. "hey, you guys have to see what I found in Alex locker. Take a look at this." Maria told them as she handed Isabel and Liz the notebook. 

"Liz he was defiantly trying to tell us something with this. We have to figure this out it may hold the answers as to why Alex did what he did that night." Isabel told her. 

"Ok look I am skipping class and staying here, what about you guys?" Liz asked them both. 

"I am too, I really feel like this was important, Alex was trying to tell us something here so I'm staying until we know what that is. What do you think he meant by Tess is not the one?" Isabel told them 

"Yeah I'll hang out too." Maria told them as she pulled up a chair and sat down next to them. 

"I have no idea, when Max came back from the future he told me Tess was so important to all of you this is really strange." Liz mumbled aloud. They all waited as the computer ran the numbers. Liz thought about what Alex had written in his letter to her about fixing things with Max. She wanted to do that more then anything but after seeing Max kissing Tess she realized that it was probably to late. 

Liz thoughts were interrupted by someone standing over them, she looked up to see Dave the pizza delivery guy. "Hey its Liz right? Did you find that receipt that you were looking for?" Dave asked her as he pulled up a chair and sat down next to her. 

Liz half smiled. "Oh yeah I did, thanks. I really appreciate your help. This is my friend Maria and Isabel, this is Dave the delivery guy I was telling you about." Liz told them. 

"HI nice to meet you." Isabel told him. 

"Yeah same here." Maria half smiled as she was going through Alex other notebooks. 

"Hello Ladies. So did the numbers mean anything, I mean did it help you with what you were looking to find out?" Dave asked continuing to make small talk. 

Liz shook her head. "Yeah it did. Thanks. So why are you here? I mean there isn't any class this period so what are you doing?" Liz asked trying to be polite. 

"Oh yeah, well I have a free period now so I just come in early and goof around on the computers. It kills time, I guess I am a computer geek what can I say. So what are you guys working on?" Dave asked her. 

"Oh well we were just trying to umm...to figure out if these numbers that Alex wrote down are some kind of code or something. They don't really make any sense to us but so far the computer hasn't come up with anything either." Liz told him. 

Dave moved in a little closer. "Mind if I take a look? Numbers are kind of my thing." Dave told her. 

Liz hesitated for just a minute, but Isabel nodded her head so Liz showed him the numbers. " It's probably nothing anyway. Its just that Alex was one of our best friends and we just don't want any more rumors going around about him that's all." Liz told him as she handed the notebook page over to him. 

Dave looked at the number for awhile and then began writing down different combinations on them. "Umm this is just a guess and I could be totally wrong about this but I think these are dates." Dave told her. 

"Dates what do you mean dates?" Maria asked. 

"Well look here,103020000406200105072001 , now lets separate them like so, 10/30/2000 04/06/2001 05/07/2001 see they could be days, months, and years." Dave showed her. Liz stared at the numbers he had scribbles on the page. Tears formed in Liz eyes as she realized he was right the first date was one that she would never forget it was the date that Max traveled back in time to see her. She wondered why she hadn't seen it before, it was so simple. 

"See this date here, it hasn't happened yet. That may be why the computer did not consider these to be dates. You would have to do a different kind of search then the one you have going on right now. The question is why would your friend be writing down these dates do they mean anything to you guys?" Dave asked. 

Liz clicked off the computer search engine; she looked at Isabel and Maria they all shook their head no. "No not really, we have to get going though. I am sorry if we wasted your time. I am not even sure what I expected to find just wishful thinking I guess, you know wanting answers to this whole thing." 

"Well the truth is taht sometimes the answers we are looking for come in the strangest places, places that we might not always think to look. Sometimes we just need to slow down and think things through you know then the answers come to us. Its interesting how we can back a choice one day to do something and not realize the long term effects that our actions might have even if what we do seems insignificant to us. Understand what I mean?" Dave asked. 

"Yeah...thanks for your help again. See you later we need to get to our next class." Liz told him as they headed out the door. "Ok now what, he was right those are defiantly dates they have to be. "Liz told them as they walked down the hall. 

"Liz how can you be sure, I don't recognize the first date as being anything special and the second date was the day that we all went to prom not a lot happened certainly nothing out of the ordinary." Isabel told them. 

"Yeah and the third date hasn't even happened yet it is still weeks away." Maria told her as she walked and flipped through the pages of Alex other notebooks. 

"WE can't talk here, lets go back to my house and I'll explain exactly why I am so sure." Liz told them. 

"Hey, wait a minute look at this, why would Alex write this?" Maria asked them. 

"This is too weird you guys look at this. Why would Alex write this?" Maria handed them another one of Alex's notebooks. Liz looked at Isabel as they read it, "the truth lies in the future, to save the world must look to the past, try to remember keep it straight, must tell Liz." 

"What is going on here, what does this all mean." Isabel asked completely confused. 

"Go get the car I have to drop some things off at my locker then I'll be right out front." Liz told them. Her mind was a million miles away. What was Alex trying to tell them, to tell her specifically? Her vision began to blur as she thought about that first date that Alex had written down. It really was her fault that he died it had to be other wise why would he write down the exact date that max came to her from the future Liz thought to herself. Liz wasn't paying any attention to where she was going as she came around the corner she collided into Max full force causing her to drop her books and fall backwards to the floor. 

"Liz I 'm sorry are you ok?" Max asked her as he picked up her books and handed them to her. 

"Yeah I am ok, I just, my mind was on other things. Sorry." Liz whispered not lifter her head she didn't want him to see the tears in her eyes. 

"Listen Liz I have been wanting to talk to you about the other night,...about what you said about seeing tess and I together at the prom..." Max tried to explain but Liz interrupted him. 

"Oh well you know its ok, I mean you don't owe me any explanation or anything, we both said all that needed to be said at the prom. I really have to go so I'll just see you later ok." Liz told him as she walked off. Max stood there staring after her. Why did he keep beating his head against a break wall with her. It was obvious that she was no longer interested in him Max thought to himself. 

"Max,…Max are you there?" Tess asked him sweetly. Max shook his head and turned to see tess standing just behind him. "So now that I have your attention I was wondering if I could come over and study with you tonight. I am so inapt when it comes to math and I could really use the help." 

"Yeah sure that would be fine. Say about 7:00 after dinner." Max offered. 

"Sure that's a date then." Tess smiled at him before walking off to her next class. 

End of part 3

"If I stand, Let Me stand on the promise that you will pull me through"

  



	4. chapter 4

Part five   
"You guys we have to get some help on this. Alex was trying to tell us something that we need to know." Isabel told them. "I still think we should show this stuff to Max and Michael."   
"We can't don't you see. I recognize this date that Alex wrote down first. That is the date that Max came back from the future. I don't know what is going on but Max can't know about this Isabel your life and Michael's depends on it." Liz told her.   
"Are you so sure Liz, I mean think about it, you said it yourself the future has already changed. Maybe it would be safe to let Max know the truth now before its to late." Isabel told hr.   
"What do you mean before it's to late?" Liz asked her puzzled by her statement.   
"Before Max ends up with Tess, they are getting closer every day Liz is that what you want." Isabel asked her. "Alex warned us in the letter he said we had to be careful of her don't you think that means something?"   
"Liz, I agree with Isabel on this one come on its time for him to know the truth. Just at least think about it ok." Maria asked her.   
"Don't you think I want to tell him. I do believe me I do, when I saw Max kissing tess at the prom I wanted to rip every hair out of her blonde bimbo head of hers. But what about the promise I made to max when he came back from the future? I am just really confused, I'm torn between my heart and my promise. I am thinking about it though, all the time ok." Liz told them as she walked over to her closet and pulled out the crystal. "What about this, if these are dates that Alex wrote down it doesn't help with this thing at all. What do the two have to do with each other and what is the connection with tess?" Liz asked them as she sat down on her bed.   
"Maybe they don't have any kind of connection, I mean maybe they are all clues trying to point us in the same direction." Isabel told them.   
"I'm sorry, I wish I knew what to do about this whole thing, but I don't. It is so frustrating it makes me just want to scream. I would love to go straight to max and tell him everything but what if it's a mistake or a trap of some kind. When Max came back from the future, he told me I had to push Max and Tess to be together that all our lives depended on it. He was so determined" Liz told them both. She unwrapped the crystal from her sweatshirt and stared at it for a minute. "Dam! This is so not fair." Liz yelled trying to vent some of her frustration.   
Maria grabbed the crystal away from Liz. "Ok calm down take in a deep breathe. Remember what Dave told us, we just have to take things a little slower, you know look for the answers in weird places or something right?" Liz smiled at Isabel and Maria. "Yeah ok I get it I am making this more complicated then it has to be right?"  
"Oh my gosh, yes, you are so making this harder then it has to be." Isabel told her laughing for the first time in the past week.  
As Maria was holding the crystal, it changed, becoming a perfect sphere and glowing a bright blue color. She held it up to her face to get a closer look as a beam of energy shot out of it and engulfed her entire body. Liz and Isabel panicked trying to take the now pulsating orb away from Maria. The energy that surrounded her acted as some kind of force field not allowing them to get close to her. Her body went completely limp and motionless.   
"Don't be afraid for Maria she is alright... this is a communication device I am using her body to speak with you know. She is in no danger. It will not harm her. Please listen we don't have much time. This transmission is being monitored. Liz, my name is Serena you must do as I tell you. You must take this crystal and go to the granilith, use it at the base of the granilith. All your questions will be answered then. Please trust me this will be my only chance to communicate with you." The energy beam that held Maria suddenly vanished and she fell to the floor. Isabel and Liz ran to her. "Oh my Gosh Maria are you alright?"   
"Dam that was so wild, what happened. I felt like I was floating I felt all these wild sensation running through my entire body." Maria told them.   
"You're not hurt? Your ok, you feel alright?" Isabel asked her still freaking out by what had just happened.   
"I'm fine really it was awesome. Why what happened what did I miss?" Maria asked as she got up.   
"There was someone talking to us through you. She said her name was Serena and she told Liz to take this thing and go to the granilith that we are suppose to put in the base of the granilith and all our questions will be answered." Isabel told her.

"When max came back from the future he told me that my friend Serena and I had found a way to use the granilith as a time travel device. He said that I would meet her in the future." Liz told them.   
"Ok so when do we go, I mean when do we go to the granilith?" Isabel asked them as she took the sphere from Maria and placed in inside Liz backpack.   
"I have to be at work a few hours so how about after the dinner shift. That way my mom won't ask so many questions. I'll come by your house about 8:00 and we can go then." Liz told them as they left. After Isabel and Maria left, Liz lay down on her bed for a moment. She was still so tired both emotionally and physically. She closed her eyes just for a moment to rest before work. Her mind kept go back over what Isabel had said about it being to late and Alex warning them about Tess. She got up and grabbed her jacket, she just couldn't stop thinking about Max. She ran all the way over to his house having decided that she needed to talk to him right away. As she climbed up to his bedroom window, she struggled to catch her breath. Her heart sank and tears filled her eyes as she saw Max holding tess in his arms. He pulled her closer to him and lowered his mouth down over hers. Liz watched as Max kissed her. "Oh Max, I knew one day you would remember our life together. That you would know that what we shared was real." Tess told him as she unbuttoned his shirt one at a time. She looked into his eyes as he pulled her shirt up over her head. "You don't have any regrets do you? I mean about Liz?" Tess asked him.   
Max kissed her mouth gently. "No, I know now that it was you that I have been waiting for all my life. What I felt for Liz was nothing compared to what I feel for you. I love you. I'm just sorry it took me so long to finally remember it." Tess kissed him passionately as she slid his shirt off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor. She pressed her body closer to his as their kiss became more intense. "Oh Max this is our destiny." Tess moaned as he lifted her into his arms and carried her over to the bed.   
Liz closed her eyes and turned away. As She opened her eyes tears were streaming down her face she sat up in her bed and looked around. It had all been a dream she must have fallen asleep. She looked at her watch and realized that she had slept the entire afternoon. She pulled herself out of bed and went downstairs. The restaurant was completely empty. She turned to go back into the kitchen but the sound of Max voice stopped her. "Liz, talk to me please tell me what is really going on? I'm so confused I thought our love was special how could I have been so wrong about us?"   
Liz turned around to see Max standing there in front of her with tears in his eyes. "You weren't wrong Max, I've wanted to come and tell you the truth about what happened but I have been so afraid. I don't want to make the wrong decision."   
Max pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She felt so good in his arms so safe, how could this ever be wrong she thought to herself as Max kissed her neck and caressed her lower back.   
"I love you to Max, I want to tell you everything" Liz moaned softly as max continued to kiss her.   
As she was about to tell him everything she heard a familiar voice from behind her, she turned around to see Max from the future standing in front of her. "How could you, how could you break your promise. Your not who I thought you were. If you tell him Isabel and Michael are as good as dead. Look at them Liz that's your fault." Liz eyes filled with tears as she looked at him. In his arms, he held Isabel, and at his feet lay Michael. Both of them had been tortured and murdered. She reached out her hand to their lifeless bodies as his words rang in her ears. "You should have kept your promise Liz you should have."   
"No Liz, don't listen its all a lie, listen to me, trust me, Tess is not the one. The past holds the key to saving the world. Liz listen..." Liz turned around again to see Alex standing there reaching his arms out to her. She sat down on the floor as the room began to spin around her the voices kept screaming at her louder and louder. She put her hands over her ears to try to block it all out. Suddenly she felt as if she were falling through the darkness into the unknown she opened her eyes and screamed out as she felt someone's hand grabbing her.   
"Liz,...Liz wake up, its me Michael. Wake up." Liz struggled against his arms as she woke up fully.   
Her heart was racing, she was drenched in sweat. She looked at him her vision still blurred by the tears. "OH God it was all a dream all of it, I thought I had woken up but I must have still been asleep." She looked at Michael for minute. "Wait I am awake aren't I, you're really here talking to me?" Liz asked him as she put her hand on his arm to steady herself.   
"Yeah I'm here, that must have been some kind of freaky nightmare. Are you ok now?" Michael asked her.   
Liz took in a deep breath and pushed the hair back form her face. "Yeah I am ok, why are you here, is everything ok?"   
"Yeah everything is fine, Maria sent me up here she needs some help covering the dinner crowd are you up to it?" Michael asked her.  
Liz looked at her watch it was already after 6:00. "Yeah, I was suppose to work a few hours ago wonder why my mom didn't come up an get me." Liz jumped up off her bed so fast that the room started spinning again. Michael grabbed her around the waist, as she was about to fall. "Hang on slow down a minute, are you going to be ok?" Michael asked her.   
Liz put her hand up to her head. "Yeah I'm ok. I just got up to fast. I will be fine. Could you tell Maria I'll be right down."   
"Why don't you take a minute grab a shower and clean up a little. I'll go help Maria out, besides it gives me and excuse to bug her." Michael told her. Liz looked at herself in the mirror and laughed. "Yeah ok I guess that's not to bad of an idea. Thank you Michael you 've been really sweet."   
"Yeah ok what ever come down when you're ready." Michael told her as he headed back down stairs. Liz got her uniform and headed for the bathroom shower.   
Isabel was headed up the stairs to her room with Max following close behind her. "So where were you all day?"   
"Oh I just didn't feel like staying at school today so I left that's all. I came home early to lay down and gets some rest." Isabel told him.   
"Oh that's funny because Tess said that she saw you, Liz, and Maria leaving school together after first period this morning." Max told her.   
Isabel felt angry all the sudden. "So what I left school early with Liz and Maria its not a crime you know. What is Tess your little spy or something?" Isabel walked into her bedroom and slammed the door behind her. Max stopped just before the door hit him in the face. He pushed it open and barged in. "No, Tess wasn't spying I just asked her if she had seen you because I was looking for you thats all. Isabel I'm not trying to pick a fight with you. I just don't understand what is going on here, I know you upset about Alex but it seems strange all this time the three of you are spending together all the sudden."   
"Upset,...Yes Max I am upset, the only guy I have ever really truly loved in my entire life has been taken from me. So yeah, I am upset. There are things about Alex death that just don't add up and I am trying to come to terms with that ok. I'm sorry if you don't like it but that's just the way it is." Isabel told him as tears formed in her eyes.   
Max felt bad he hadn't realized how much Alex meant to her. "God Isabel I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't know that you felt that way about Alex, I mean I knew he was your friend but,..." Max said.   
"Yeah well don't worry about it, I didn't know myself until it was to late so just forget it. Look Max I'm not trying to cut you out of my life, or Liz's, I promise. Liz, Maria, and I are just really trying to work through Alex death that's all." Isabel told him.   
Max looked at her for a minute and then he walked over and sat down next to her on the bed. "Isabel I am the biggest jerk, I'm sorry you have to forgive me. I think that I have been bothered by all the time you have been spending with Liz because I,...I guess I wish she would come to me. I just realized how selfish that is and I am so sorry you need to be there for her and she needs to be there for you I'm sorry." Isabel looked at Max for a moment she knew he was hurting so much she could see it in his eyes everytime he talked about Liz. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Don't give up Max it will all work out in the end I promise."   
Just then tess poked her head through he bedroom door. "Hey your mom said I should just come up, so are you ready to study max?"   
Max looked at Isabel for a minute. "Are you ok?"   
Isabel nodded her head and smiled at him. "Yeah sure I'm fine we can talk later." She watched as Max led tess to his room. " At least I hope it will all work out in the end." She whispered to herself.   
End Part 5  
"If I Stand let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through"


	5. chapter 5

Maria and Liz finished clearing off the tables from the dinner crowd. "I am so sorry I fell asleep like that. I didn't mean to stick you with all the work this afternoon. You should have woke me up I would have come down and helped out." Liz told Maria.   
"It was fine really. You were really tired and I know how hard this whole thing has been on you." Maria told her as she carried the dishes into the kitchen. Liz followed her. "Yeah, well it's been just as hard on you. Maria you have been great I wouldn't have gotten through this whole thing with out you. I mean it loosing Max and then loosing Alex like this its just been really ruff I am so glad I still have you." Liz told her as they loaded the dishwasher.   
"Speaking of Max are you going to tell him, you know about Kyle and all this other stuff going on?" Maria asked her.   
"Oh I don't know what to do, I was going to then I had that nightmare and now I am back to square one. Why can't life be easier you know like when we were kids and the hardest decision was what kind of bubble gum to buy?" Liz asked her. Maria laughed as she finished the kitchen. Liz went upstairs to get the crystal while Maria waited downstairs.   
"So Maria, are you up for a movie tonight? I've got popcorn and Braveheart?" Maria turned around to see Michael standing there. She ran over to him and kissed him. "Oh I'm sorry you're going to have to watch it alone. Its girls night out. Liz and I are going to pick up Isabel and go hang out."   
Michael wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her. "Are you sure because I was thinking that since I have seen this movie a hundred times before it might be kind of fun to you watch it with you?"   
"OH...I see you wanted to "Watch" it with me, as in your place, lights turned down low, you and me all alone on your uncomfortable couch?" Maria asked as he kissed her neck and ear.   
"Umm yeah basically?" Michael told her as he continued to kiss her neck. "So blow them off and come over."   
"As tempting as that sounds, " Maria took in a deep ragged breathe. " and believe me it does sound tempting. I can't I have to go with them tonight its kind of important to Liz." Maria told him. Michael looked at her and let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah ok, I'll catch you tomorrow." he yelled out as he walked out the front door.   
As Liz and Maria headed over to Isabel, Liz kept going back and forth weather she should tell Max the truth or to keep it from him. She had all but made up her mind to be honest with him then she had the horrible dream and now she felt so unsettle again.   
Isabel lay down on her bed waiting for Maria and Liz to show up. She was feeling really tired, she hadn't realized how tired until she put her head down on the pillow. As she closed her eyes she thought about Liz and what she had said about needed to be careful, what is this was all a trap. They didn't really know what this crystal was and yet they were suppose to go to the Granilith with it. She felt bad for not telling Max she wished that she knew what to do. Her eyes were getting heavy as she struggled to stay awake. Thoughts of Alex filled her mind, she missed him so much. If only she would have told him how much he meant to her. Isabel opened her eyes to find herself standing in the middle of a large meadow filled with wild flowers. It was beautiful and the smell was intoxicating. She felt a warm breeze blow against her body. She looked down and picked one of the flowers she held it up to her nose and breathed in. It smelled wonderful. She felt as peace here as the sun beat down on her. It was the sound of a familiar voice that caused her to turn around, it was his voice. Isabel ran to him. Alex stood there watching her, she was beautiful. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Isabel couldn't believe it he was here, he was alive and he was with her. "Alex, oh God your alright. You're not dead." Isabel told him as she kissed him repeatedly. "I thought I lost you I thought you were gone." Isabel whispered as tears fell down her cheeks. Alex ran his hands through her hair he loved the way it felt. "I love your hair, it always smells like wild flowers to me." Alex told her as he reached down and picked a tiny purple bud and places it in her hair. Isabel laid her head against his shoulder. It felt so good to be in his arms, she felt so safe she never wanted this moment to end. "I love you Alex, I always have I was just to blind to see it, for give me for not telling you sooner?"   
Alex kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I love you too Isabel, and I miss you so much. Each day that goes by, I feel myself slipping further from you. I need your help Isabel, you need to trust what Serena told you. Go to the granilith do as she told you. For me"   
Isabel pulled away from him a little. "Then this is just a dream you aren't here with me. "Alex pulled her back into his arms. "No I am here, I don't know how, but you have to trust me. Be careful your enemy is closer then you know, Go with Liz please I need you now.... I need you." Alex leaned his head down and kissed her softly then he disappeared. Isabel sat up in bed her eyes flew open. She looked around the room and let out a heavy sigh as tears rolled down her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around her self and lay back down on the bed. It had been a dream of some kind, but it was so real so vivid even now she could feel his lips as they pressed gently against her own, and the warmth of his breathe as he whispered I love you. She felt as if he were there with her still all, around her. This was unfair why did he have to die she cried to herself. She looked at her clock it was almost 8:00 she knew Liz and Maria would be there soon. She went into the bathroom to get dressed. As she was combing her hair her heart stopped and she froze unable to believe what she saw in the mirror. She slowly reached her hand up to her head and pulled out the tiny purple wild flower Alex and placed there. "Alex my Gosh… Alex it was real. Some how we connected and it was real." Isabel felt her heart racing as she stared at the tiny flower in her hand, tears falling gently down her cheeks.   
"So Max this is really nice of you. Helping me out like this. I mean it, I am a total lame brain when it comes to this whole Geometry stuff." Tess told him as she sat next to him on his bed.   
"Give yourself some credit this stuff is really hard. Besides you're doing really great." Max told her as he stretched and flexed his back to get it into a more comfortable sitting position. Tess stood up and walked over behind him. "Here let me I can give a pretty good back rub." Tess told him a she began massaging his shoulders. "So how does that feel?"   
"That does feel good, thanks, where did you learn how to give such a great massage?" Max could feel the tension leaving his body he had to admit it felt really good.   
Tess leaned over and whispered into his ear. "I use to do this for you all the time on our home planet. You told me that my hands worked like magic at relieving tension. You loved it when I would massage your back as well as other areas. Remember?" tess asked him sudectively. Max head was suddenly filled with very vivid memories of him and Tess together, holding her, kissing her, and making love to her. He suddenly stood up and walked to the window. "Yeah, well I am feeling better, thanks. I think I'll just open the window a little. It is getting hot in here.   
Tess walked over to stand next to him she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth down with in inches of her own. "You do remember it don't you Max. You remember us together. Our bodies pressed close together, our mouths exploring every inch of each other, the passion that consumed us both. You remember it to don't you." Max looked into her eyes he felt an uncontrollable desire to kiss her, to make love to her right there on his bed it was overwhelming almost as if something else were controlling his actions. He lowered his mouth down over hers and kissed her, exploring every inch of her mouth with is tongue. He couldn't get enough of her as he pulled her closer to him. Tess slid her hands underneath his shirt and caressed his back and shoulder. Max began unbuttoning her blouse one at a time leaving a trail of kisses as he went down her neck , across her shoulders, and finally to her soft breast. Neither one of them heard the bedroom door open or saw Liz standing in the doorway. Max lifted his head. "I do remember, I don't know what is happening to me, I feel like I can't..." Max stopped mid sentence as he saw Liz and Maria standing there in the doorway. Max quickly pushed Tess back from him and pulled his shirt down. Tess turned around to see what was wrong. "Liz, umm we were just study, tess needed some help with her Geometry." Max told her.   
Liz just stared at the two of them, her eyes brimming with tears. Maria pointed at Tess unbuttoned blouse. "Yeah right, looks more like you were studying Sex ED from here."   
Max looked at Tess who pulled her blouse shut and began doing up the buttons. "Why... umm what are you doing here? Is something wrong?" max asked her trying not to look as guilty as he felt at that moment.   
"I...I was just going to show you something that we found...but … you know what your busy and this can wait really. Come on Maria lets get Isabel and go." Liz told him as she walked down the hall to Isabels room.   
"That's nice Max, really, way to go." Maria told him as she glared at Tess. Isabel and Liz came back down the hall both ready to go. Max walked out into the hall and closed his bedroom door. " Liz can I talk to you a minute."   
Isabel and Maria looked at Liz she nodded and told them to wait for her in the car, that she would be right down.. Max walked over to her and took her hand in his. "Liz that was a mistake, I don't know what happened I felt like I was being controlled somehow."   
"I know Max you felt like you couldn't control yourself, and you probably couldn't you remember things about your life with her, about being married to her. This is the way its suppose to be I'm just sorry that I keep getting in the way of that." Liz told him as the tears ran down her cheeks.   
"Liz please that's not it. It's just that every since I saw you with Kyle, Tess has been there for me been as a friend. Then when I healed Larek I got all of these flashes... memories of my past I guess is what they are. I don't know for sure, I don't understand them, its all so confusing. At prom you said we were over that you realized that there was no point to keep trying to be something that we could never be remember but I know that you still care about me. I just want you to talk to me, help me understand but you keep pulling away form me. Please come and talk to me I can have Tess go home we can talk this out just tell it's not to late." Max pleaded with her.   
"There isn't anything left to say... we just keep hurting each other max and I care to much about you to keep doing that so this is it,… this is goodbye. I can't be with you, your destiny,.. Your life, is with tess." Liz told him as she ran down the stairs. Max stood there watching her go he knew it was pointless to go after her as long a she was still unwilling to talk. Max hit turned and hit the wall full force causing a large whole. All the anger and frustration having built up for months now pouring out.   


Part seven   
Liz sat quietly as they headed for the granilith, she couldn't believe what she had just seen. Her heart was breaking but she only had herself to blame she had pushed him to be with Tess she had told him over and over again that they belonged together, he was only full filling his destiny. Isabel turned around and looked at Liz. "I know that your hurting but I still think you should have told him, warned him about tess. I am telling you Alex is out there somewhere maybe not in his body but he is out there. I know it that wasn't a dream I had this evening he was with me and he is trying to warn us some how about Tess. Liz you have to stop being so stubborn and listen to reason." Isabel tried to convince her. She looked back at Liz and saw the tears in her eyes. She felt so bad for her and Max. Isabel turned back around and looked out the window, felt strange she didn't know how to explain it. Something was following them she had felt it before when they got into the car. It was as if she were surrounded by a something, something that was cold and angry filled with hatred for them. She could feel it as it moved about around them like some kind of energy field.   
"Isabel he is with her now, it already is to late. I saw it, my God if we hadn't walked in he would have,..." She couldn't even bring herself to say the words the visions of the two of them together were painful enough. "No I did the right thing, Max told me when he came from the future that Tess and him had to be together this is the way it is suppose to be. Alex didn't know the truth about what was going to happen in the future. Don't you see this is the skins they are trying to make me go running to Max so I will tell him everything and they can separate you all. They know the only way they can defeat you is if you are apart. They probably murdered Alex and set this whole thing up."   
"Alright, lets just calm down, were almost there, lets just see if this crystal does anything when we get to the Graniltih. There aren't any skins around here right now. Nicholas is long gone so we are safe to see what this thing does at least. Max isn't going to do anything with Tess tonight not after the look on saw on his face at getting caught so we have time to find out if this things can gives any answers or not agreed?" Maria asked them both.   
"Agreed" Isabel answered. Liz just shook her head. They rode the rest of the way in silence. Liz closed her eyes and tried to get the visions of Max holding tess out of her head. Isabel couldn't shake the feeling that they were in danger. She tried to think about other things but she kept hearing Alex voice warning her. Suddenly the car swerved off to the side of the road. Maria pulled hard on the steering wheel to try to regain control. The car swerved again and began to accelerate. Maria screamed. "Oh my Gosh you guys I can't control the car!" Isabel looked at Liz who was being tossed about in the back seat. Maria tried again to pull the car into their own lane. "It's like its driving on its own." Maria cried.   
"Hit the brakes Maria try and slow us down." Liz yelled as she saw that they were reaching speeds over 95 miles an hour. Maria slammed her foot down hard on the brakes but it continued to accelerate. She looked with total fear in her eyes. "You have to do something make the car stop make it quite running." Isabel placed her hand on the dashboard and concentrated. She tried to make the car stop but she felt a resistance of some kind as if someone or something were there causing the car to speed up. Maria and Liz both screamed as the car swerved again into the other lane throwing them into the door of the car. Isabels eyes flew open as she saw straight ahead of them in the distance the headlights of an oncoming car. Liz screamed, she jumped over the seat and pulled on the steering wheel along with Maria trying to get the car back into there own lain. Maria began blaring the horn in a panic to warn the other vehicle. Isabel put both of her hands on the dashboard and closed her eye. She concentrated completely on stopping the car. An electrical charge shot out from both of her hands as the car came to a screeching stop. All three girls jumped out of the car. The on coming vehicle swerved at the last minute just barely avoiding a head on collision. Isabel looked over at Maria and then at Liz. "Are you ok? What happened? My Gosh we were almost killed."   
"Its the Jetta Demon his finally paying us back for all the crap we have been putting it through." Maria told them. Liz looked at her and rubbed the side of her arm. "I highly doubt that Maria."   
"You explain it then that car was driving of its own free will, it was like it was alive or something?" Maria told her as she tried to catch her breath. Isbael looked around it was quite there was nothing unusual the strange presence she felt earlier even seemed to be gone now.   
"Well now what do we walk the rest of the way?" Liz asked.   
Isabel placed her hand on the hood of the car and fixed the engine so it would run properly. "It should be safe now. We have to go. I know this is strange but I know Alex was with me at least in spirit today we have to do this. Come on." Isabel told them as she got into the car.   
"No way am I driving this car it hates me I am telling you. If you want to go so much you drive." Maria handed Isabel the keys. Isabel walked over to the driver's side and got in she looked at Maria and Liz. "Come on guys I promise if anything happens again we'll go get a priest or something ok?"   
After Liz and Maria got into the car Maria opened the glove compartment and took out some Cypress oil and began splashing it around the car interior. "What are you doing with that?" Liz asked trying to avoid getting oil splashed all over her.   
"Its Cypress oil it helps to calm the nerves and relieves stress, after what I just went through what ever was driving this car was seriously pissed I'm trying to help it relax a little." Maria told her.   
"Ok, ok just watch where you splash that stuff." Liz told her as they all started to calm down. It wasn't long before they arrived at the pod chambers. As they hiked up the mountain Isabel began to feel as if she were being followed again. It was the same strange presence she had felt before in the car and back at her house. She stopped for a moment and looked around but no one was there. As they entered the pod chamber, she felt it again an intense feeling of fear washed over her. Her heart began pounding in her chest and she didn't know what to do. She turned around and caught a glimpse of something. She couldn't make out a form of any kind but she knew at once that their enemy was there with them. She held out her hand and shot a beam of energy directly towards the entranceway. A bright flash of light exploded and the energy disappeared. Rocks fell all around the entrance way to the pod chambers almost sealing it shut. Liz and Maria turned around to see what was happening. "Isabel what was that, what happened?" Maria asked her.   
"I'm not sure but someone or something was following us. I don't know what it was but I felt it. It was like some kind of energy being or I hate to use the term but ghost. I don't know for sure. I think whatever it was is gone now but it has been following us since we left the house." Isabel told them.   
"Has this happened before?" Liz asked.   
"No, at least I don't think so, its strange, its like all the sudden I was completely aware of this unseen energy following us. It was just like with Alex except I didn't feel threatened when he was near me, I felt safe, like I was surrounded by love." Isabel told him   
"Maybe this is some kind of new power. Have you tried to communicate with Alex again. I mean when your awake?" Liz asked her.   
"No I didn't even know that I could do this until just today." Isabel told them.   
"We should go get this over with before what ever it was comes back." Maria told them. They walked into the granilith chamber and Liz pulled the crystal out of her backpack. "Were suppose to put it at the base of the granilith somewhere, look around for an opening of some kind." Liz told them as she looked around her. She felt bitter and sad, this was the great granilith that everybody wanted. She hated it, all it ever brought to her was pain and sorrow. She knelt down and ran her hand across the base as she did the crystal began to glow. "Hey you guys come over here." Maria and Isabel both walked over to her. "Watch this." Liz told them as she ran her hand across the base of the granilith again. Instantly the crystal began to glow as it had done before. "What do you think that means?" Liz asked Isabel.   
"I have know idea, try to push the crystal into it maybe there is a opening maybe it makes one or something." Isabel told her. Liz looked at the two of them then she took a deep breath in and pushed the crystal as hard as she could into the base of the granilith. It changed as she held it and passed through the base with out any difficulty becoming a apart of the granilith. They all stood up waiting to see what was going to happen when the top of the granilith began to spin. Liz grabbed a hold of Maria and Isabel hands as the base began spinning also. Maria yelled, "I so don't like this ride I want to get off." Liz held her hand tighter as a stream of energy shot down from the top of the granilith into the base capturing them up inside it. Maria closed her eyes and held on to Liz. Isabel tried to see what was happening but everything was passing by so fast, the images were a blur and the sounds were garbled. She closed her eyes and tried to think only of Alex she knew in her heart that he would never have led them to do anything that would hurt them. She saw images of Alex in the truck on the night of his death. He was driving to come and see her. He was upset about something, he wanted to tell her something. He was afraid for her. Suddenly she felt an evil presence there in the truck with him just as she had before. It was causing the truck to accelerate and swerve out of control. Alex was trying to fight it but he couldn't the energy was to powerful and it had complete control over the vehicle. Alex desperately tried to regain control but he was unable to the truck veered hard and flipped over several times totally crushing in the driver's side. Isabel saw him unconscious and bleeding she reached out to him but he was already gone. The image vanished and she was suddenly aware that they were no longer spinning. They all three struggle to stand up feeling a little disoriented. They we still in the granilith chamber though. Liz looked down and the crystal was still were she had placed it. "What happened, did either of you see anything was there any kind of message, like before?" Liz asked as she stepped of the base and walked towards the entrance.   
"I saw how Alex died, I saw the entire thing. He didn't kill himself and I don't think he was being controlled at least not physically, what ever it was that attacked us in the car before killed Alex that night." Isabel told them as tears fell from her eyes. "He was on his way to meet me, he wanted to tell me something about what has been happening to him and something stopped him."   
Liz was the first to walk out of the Granilith chamber and back into the pod chamber. She stopped shocked at what she saw. "Umm guys I think you better get out here right away because something really strange is going on." Liz called out to them.   
"What is it, Liz what's wrong?" Isabel called out as she caught up to Liz. "Oh My Gosh where are we? What the heck happened?"  
Maria climbed through the entrance and stared in disbelief. "Well Dorthy, I think it's safe to say were not in Kanses anymore."   


"If I stand let me stand on the promise you that you will pull me through."  



	6. chapter 6

"Where on earth are we?" Isabel asked a she looked out over the busy room filled with people working at computer stations and monitoring screens. Liz looked around not sure of what was happening. 

"If we are still on earth don't you mean. Look at this place its like huge and who are all of these people?" Maria asked.  
The sound of a familiar voice caught Liz. "Liz, Isabel, Maria...thank God you finally come. We don't have much time follow me." Maria looked at the young woman standing before them. "Follow you where, where are we and how do you know us?"   
"The better question to ask would be when are you, This is the year 2017. I am Serena and I know you have so many questions I can answer them for you please come with me." Serena showed them the way down a long hall and into a large conference room.   
"You're the one who set us the message through Maria, I recognized your voice." Liz told her. She stared at Serena intently she had the overwhelming feeling that she knew her or at least that she had seen her before. She was beautiful with long dark black hair and bright blue eyes. Liz shook her head trying to get past the sensation there was no way that she could know this person they hadn't even met yet.   
"Have a seat, like I said I know you have a lot of question I will try to help you understand what is going on. First to let you know you have traveled through time, using the granilith. We have done a number of modifications to it and time travel using its incredible power is possible." Serena explained to them.   
"Just like Max used it before to travel back in time to see me?" Liz asked trying to understand.   
"Well not exactly, Liz this is going to be very hard for you to understand or believe but Max ,...your Max never did travel back through time to see you. It was all a plan conceived by your enemy Khivar. The Max that traveled back in time was a clone created by the skin of your real Max." Serena explained.   
"How is that possible? You mean they sent the duplicate of Max that was made on our home planet back through time?" Isabel asked.   
"No, it wasn't Zan that the skins sent. When Max was taken by the FBI by agent Pierce and held in the white room blood samples were drawn on him. Congresswoman Whitaker had access to those samples and she took them. From those samples they were able to create an exact clone of Max using his own DNA. Well physically an exact clone. He did not have Max essence or his memories of his life in Roswell. They filled his head with phony memories so that he would be convincing to you Liz. It was the only way to break you two up, and push Max the real Max to be with Tess." Serena explained.   
"Why,… why would the skins do that Max and Tess being together only hurts them this doesn't make any since." Liz snapped. "Besides he knew things he knew that Max was going to show up and sing to me that night and he did just moments after he told me.   
"Liz I know this is confusing but please try to understand, the clone Max that came to you from the future knew all about the real Max singing to you at your window, everyone knew about that. You must have told that story a thousand times. Everything that future Max told you was a lie. The skins had not taken over the Earth or killed Isabel and Michael it was all a lie. The whole thing was a plan set up by Khivar to get Max and Tess together. Once he discovered that you created a way to travel through time using the granilith he created this entire elaborate plan to send the clone of Max back in time to you and get you to end things with Max. Khivar wanted Max and Tess together. His hope were that this plan would succeed were his other attempts had failed." Serena told her.   
Liz shook her head. "Still how would it benefit Khivar to have Max and tess together. She is Max destiny she is his bride." 

Serena walked over to a large screen and passed her hand in front of it. "Yes could you please find Isabel tell her they are here." Liz looked over at Isabel and became fearful. "What are you doing if this really is the future, Isabel can't be near the future version of herself?"   
Isabel stood up and walked over to Liz. "What's going on what are you talking about?"   
Serena held up her hand. "Please I promise nothing is going to happen. I know that the future Max told you that he could not be near the younger version of himself, that is a lie and I am going to prove it to you. I am going to try and show you all of the truth. I am hoping that after you hear what I have to say you will believe that it is the truth. Isabel wanted to be here, she wanted to help you with what I had to tell you, help you to understand it all. " Serena explained.

Isabel sat down next to Liz. She watched as the door opened and she saw herself walk into the room. She looked good a little older more mature but still pretty good. She walked in a sat down across from them at the long table. "Hello Liz, Maria,...Isabel. I am sure this all seems like a bad dream to you but the truth is I have been waiting for this moment for a long time." Future Isabel smiled at them. "Liz it is really good to see you again."

Liz looked at the future version of Isabel and then back to Serena. "I don't understand I thought that they couldn't be in the same area?"  
"They can be in the same room they can even interact with one another verbal but they can not touch. There can be no physical contact of any kind or both of them will die instantly. The same matter can not share the same space as long as they do not touch then everything will be fine. You can see for your self-that future max lied to you about this. Let me start by telling you that the time line or continuing of time as you know it has been altered. I have memories of finding you and the others in our life before the clone of Max ever traveled backwards and disturbed things, as we knew it. In the time period that you just traveled from I have memories of it also. Our hope is that we can rectify some of the damage that the clone Max created when he came back to see you. Do you understand?" Serena asked.   
"Not a word of what your saying." Maria told her. "My question is this, if what you're saying is true why not just send Isabel here back to us so we could fix things. Why bring us here?" Maria asked.   
"As I said this is a different reality then the one you left even though you only left your time frame moments ago years have passed." Serena told them. "The events that have played out over the last few weeks in each one of your lives are different from before we interfered."   
"What do you mean interfered." Liz asked.   
Future Isabel looked at the younger version of herself. "Things in this time frame are not what you think. We are at war here on earth fighting to stay alive. This is one of our control centers but the skins are everywhere out there. Humans are used for slave labor and the Earth's raw resources and being depleted at a rate faster then you could possibly imagine. Many things have happened Liz, many terrible things because of the lie that the skins were able to trick you into believing concerning you and Max and your future life together. We had to try and alter things we had no way of knowing the consequences that would occur with Alex." Future Isabel voice trembled as tears filled her eyes.   
"What are you talking about. What has this got to do with Alex death?" Isabel asked. Serena looked at the pain in both their eyes. "We were trying to send a massage to you Liz through Alex. We had to warn you of what you were doing,… of the damage that was about to occur with all our lives. After prom night, you broke things off for good with Max this began a sequence of events that led to the present state we are now in. IT was decided that we would try to contact you through Alex. We wanted someone that we thought you would trust and we thought if Alex came to you with information about you and Kyle that you would have to finally believe that Max visit from the future was a fraud. After seeing the damage that was done when the cone Max returned to you Liz we were afraid of sending someone back in time again and further distorting time."

"It was you that was controlling Alex thoughts then filling his mind with information that he wrote about in his letter." Isabel asked.   
"Yes, we had know way of knowing that Khivar would use our line of communication with Alex as a way to get at all of you. After the prom, Alex was taken for a short time. He was placed in a energy field much like the one that we used on Maria. We had developed a communication chip that was fitted directly into Alex brain so that we could send information to him, so he could warn you about Tess and Future Max. However Khivar jammed our transmission and the communication was contaminated. Alex mind began to reject the implant and he became fearful and paranoid. Khivar used the line of communication that we had opened with Alex as a portal to travel to Roswell from Antar. Kivar is unlike any other alien being that you know of so far. He is very powerful and we underestimated the lengths he would go to in order to full fill his plan. We now know that it was Khivar that killed Alex that night. He caused the accident to happen. Khivar knew Alex was on his way to warn you about Tess and to tell you the truth about Liz past. We had finally been able to communicate in a way that his mind did not reject. Khivar could not allow the message to be delivered so he killed the messenger"   
"I don't understand why not just communicate with me directly then why use Alex and what about my past?" Liz asked   
"Because we can only manipulate the mind of a human in that way. We can not manipulate a hybrids in this manner. The mind blocks out the control that we must impose upon the body, a humans mind is not capable of doing that." Serena told her.   
"I don't understand I am human... is it because of max healing me and bringing me back? Ava said that he changed me?" Liz asked confused.   
"No your mind was different long before Max ever healed you Liz." Serena informed her. 

  
End part 8   
"If I stand let me stand on the promise you that you will pull me through."  


"What do you mean, how is my mind different?" Liz asked feeling frustrated.   
"Liz you are not human, well not fully human. You are a hybrid just like Max, Michael and the others. You were the one sent on that ship in 1947 that crashed in Roswell not Tess. You are Max true bride. Tess was a fake created to replace you. Khivar wanted to use her as a part of his plan to get at Max."   
"A fake how can that be Nasedo brought her to us. He was our protector he would have known if she were a fake." Isabel told them.   
"Nasedo was not your protector. I was, I am a shapeshifter just like Nasedo, I was sent here with you to protect you and to insure that one-day you would be able to return home. There where two ships that crashed that day in the desert. The army only found the wreckage of the first ship, our ship. Nasedo was sent to Earth by Khivar in order to carry out his plan. I survived so did my husband Mikeal but the humans took the pod chambers from the wreckage before we could hide them. Nasedo was one of the scientists working with us on Antar. He helped to create the technology needed to insure that you would survive, but then he turned against us and aided our enemy Khivar. His desire for power ran deeper then any of us ever knew. Mikeal and I went to the military base to retrieve you from the humans but Nasedo was there also. He had murdered the humans and destroyed the duplicate of you Liz. We were able to save you because of the help of a man named Hal Carver. He was not like the other humans we had come into contact with." Serena told them.  
"I know that name, Michael did a school history paper on him remember he told Michael all that top secret stuff about you guys." Maria told them.   
"I remember that too." Isabel looked over at Liz.   
"Ok then how do you explain Tess. Why does this Khivar want them to be together so badly? And what about my parents my mother gave birth to me. There are pictures to prove it" Liz told them.   
Mikeal and I hide you in the desert but we did not know Nasedo was following us. He had gone and retrieved taken three of the pods that held the duplicates. When we arrived he was trying to destroy you but Mikeal and he fought. Mikeal was injured but so was Nasedo. He fled before we could kill him. We knew that you were in the most danger of all so we removed you from the incubation pod and created a new pod for you. We hoped it would convince Nasedo that you were dead. For your own safety, we hid you from Max, Michael, and Isabel. We knew you were Khivars target but we still did not understand why until later. Nasedo mission was to come to earth and create a replacement hybrid for you Liz someone that they would be able to control. Nasedo needed human DNA, preferably from a human fetus since that would be the easiest source of cells to manipulate. The chances of error were much smaller since the tissue and organs would not have developed fully. You see Khivar wanted more then to create a hybrid that he could control he wanted to create one that he could use in a unique way. Nasedo found exactly what he needed in a young woman Sheila Hubble. He murdered her and took one of the fetuses from her womb to create Tess." Serena explained.   
"Shelia Hubble that was the wife of that crazy guy that attacked Max last year. But the coroner's report said that his wife was pregnant that she was 3 months pregnant with a baby girl. Max told me that the night Hubble tried to kill him Hubble told Max all about it." Liz told her.   
"Shelia Hubble was pregnant with twin girls. Nasedo only needed one of the fetuses so he left the other behind, the docotor that did the autopsy did not know that the victim Shelia Hubble had actually been carrying twins. After he got the DNA that he need he created Tess and Ava. He placed Tess in your original pod and then he placed Ava in a newly created pod. I assume that he planed to use Ava to full fill his mission if Tess failed or did not survive, since they were identical in every way. I knew when the others would emerge from there chambers and I hoped to have you do so also but six years before your growth completion Nasedo discovered that you were still alive. Mikael and I had befriended a man named Atherton. He helped us to keep you safe and hidden but Nasedo found out and murdered him. Mikeal fought with him while I escaped with you. You were still an infant your maturity was that of a newborn human baby. I didn't know what to do Mikeal never came to meet with me so I knew the worst had happened. I knew I had to hide you to complete my mission. As I was driving towards Roswell I saw that a car accident had occurred. A young pregnant woman was lying in the road bleeding. I stopped the car and went to her she was unconscious. She was having great difficulty breathing so I scanned her body. I realized that she was suffering from internal injuries. I placed my hand on her stomach and I saw that her child's heart had stopped beating, it was no longer viable. There was nothing that I could do for her baby. The baby gestation was also full term so I used my powers to removed her baby from her womb and replaced it with you. The human baby had died due to the trauma of the car accident. I used my powers to heal her most severe injuries so that there would never be any questions around your birth. The woman never regained consciousness until after you were born. I followed the authorities as they took her to the hospital and waited while you were born. I changed the blood tests and all other abnormalities so that you would appear as a normal human baby girl. I watched closely for a time to make sure that you were well carried for and that no one had detected your identity. I went back to the pod chambers some years later but Isabel, Max, and Michael had already emerged. Nasedo was close by waiting for Tess to emerge, he too I realized must have not been there when you three came out of the pods."   
"That's why Tess came out later then we did because she was not created at the same time as we were." Isabel asked.   
"Yes she needed more time in the chamber to fully mature." Serena explained. "Liz didn't you ever wonder why it was you that got the visions of the traveling here to Earth and the flashes of the crash when you were with max. It was you that was able to locate the communicator that was all placed in your memory by Mikeal and I to try and insure that you would learn the truth about who you were. 

"But the skins they killed Nasedo, Whitaker did she told me so. Why would they kill him if he were helping them?" Isabel told them.   
"Who knows for sure, maybe because he had severed the purpose of creating Tess and bringing her to all of you, or maybe Khivar figured that Max would feel sorry for Tess and that would draw the two of them together but it didn't. Max didn't care about the lies of destiny that Nasedo had tried to convince him of he loved only Liz his true bride. It could be that Khivar saw that his plan was failing so in anger he had Nasedo killed" Serena explained.   
"I don't understand if this is true then why don't I have any of the abilities that the others do." Liz asked as tears formed in her eyes.   
Isabel reached over and placed her arm around Liz. "Do you want to hear more, God this must be so unreal for you we can stop if you want?"  
"NO I want to know the truth, explain to me, why am I not like the others then?" Liz asked impatiently.   
"Liz when Michael, Max and I came out of the pods we were already six years old. We were aware to some degree of our surroundings and we knew that we were different we were conscious of that. You were born just like any other human baby, you were raised that way by the time your mind became conscious of its surroundings you acted and exhibited the traits of any other normal human. Even Max and I had to practice our powers to learn their strength and limitations. " Future Isabel explained to her.   
"Liz think about it you were always the healthiest and the brightest out of all of us. Even when Alex and I got the chicken pox you never did remember?" Maria asked her   
"Yeah I remember I played with you guys every day after school for three days hoping a would catch them but I didn't. Finally Alex had the idea to color tiny red dots all over my face and arms so I could stay home from school and play and watch cartoons with you guys." Liz told them as the memories came flooding back.   
"I know this is all so hard for you to understand and take in but so much is depending on you. You have to stop what is about to occur in Roswell." Future Isabel explained.   
"Why what is going to happen?" Maria asked anxiously.   
"The end is about to happen. As I said we interfered with the way this peroid of time is unfolding but when it first happened, Liz you were..." Future Isabel hesitated for a moment. "You were killed. Before we tried to communicate, that time unfolded differently and Khivar succeeded with his plan. After you saw Max and Tess together that night in his room you ran out of the house upset. I tried to go after you but you got into your mom's car and drove off so fast. You were killed in a terrible car crash that everyone assumed was caused by how upset you were. The accident report said that you were driving recklessly, but I knew it wasn't true. After your funeral, I began talking with Alex and Maria. it was Maria who finally told me about Future max coming to you and causing you to end things with Max. By the time I found out it was to late Khivars plan to use Tess had succeeded and we have been fighting a loosing battle since that day." Isabel told her. Liz sat staring shocked by what she had heard. 

"So umm what your saying is that by interfering with time and trying to communicate with Alex you changed the events that were going to happen and Alex was killed, but if you hadn't changed time if you had left everything alone Liz is the one that dies." Maria asked. She could no longer hold back the tears. "This is so screwed either way I loose one of my very best friends you guys have to fix this whole dam mess."   
Liz looked at Maria and smiled then she looked over to Serena. " Tell me what happens, tell me the truth why did Khivar want Tess to be with Max so badly. What affect does this have on the way the future unfolds?" 

"Liz you need to understand what khivar is, as I said he is not like any alien that you have come in contact with so far. He has no body, no form he is energy." Serena tried to explain.

"You mean like a ghost or something?" Maria asked.

"No not exactly, it wasn't that he once had a physical form and then died, he never had a physical form of any kind. He does have consciousness though just like us but he has no body in which to dwell. He came to Antar many years ago before Max was King. He formed an alliance with the skins. In our solar system, we have a council that governs the planets. Max is the head of that council as the rightful king of Antar. He alone has the seal imprinted into his brain to prove this. Khivar thought that he could take over the council just by trying to take over Antar. But it didn't happen that way only an heir to the throne can hold the seat that rules the council and the planets. There are those that hold to the traditions of our plants history very closely and Khivar knew that even if he could destroy Max and take over Antar he could never defeat the entire council and their armies. The skins are not strong enough so he had to think of another way to gain control of the throne and with Nasedo help he did." Serena explained to them.   
"How what happened?" Liz asked.   
"After you were killed Max turned to Tess even more then before. I guess his grief was driving him to her. He was devastated at your loss but he seemed almost compelled at times to be with Tess. I found out later that Max mind had been filled with false memories by Larek. Think about it, it wasn't by accident that Tess and Max were both in the UFO museum that day that Larek took them hostage? Khivar had convinced Larek to help him in his quest to take over the throne. Larek at one time was friends with Max but he was tired of the warring that had been going on between the plants. He caved in to pressure put on him by his own people to find a way to bring about peace so he agreed to help Khivar. When Max went to heal Brodys body Larek was still in control. Once he had established a connection with Max he used that opportunity to fill Max mind with false visions and memories of a life with Tess that never really existed. I didn't know then what I do now about just how dangerous Max and Tess being together would be." Future Isabel told her.   
"On the night of May the 7 2001, Max and Tess spent the night together and she conceived a child. The child was a boy, we know from Tess herself exactly how it happened. Max was devastated by your death. Tess said he showed up at her window around 11:00 PM he was talking strange and he had been drinking. She said that she wanted to help him, to make him feel better. She said she only did it to allow him to say good bye to you Liz. She used her powers on him, She made him think he was seeing you. She said he was so upset that things just got carried away and before she realized what was happening the two of them were making love. It was beyond her control to stop because he was drunk. She said that she loved Max and that she knew that they had belonged together. The truth is she had been brainwashed into believing that they belonged together from the time she emerged out of the pod. Nasedo made sure of it, it was a vital part of his plan that she want to be with no one but Max."

"Why,… I still don't understand why, how could Max and Tess having a child together help Khivar?" Liz asked as fresh tears poured down her cheeks.   
"Because Nasedo had genetically engineered Tess so that when she conceived Max's child, that child's body would be a host for Khivar. Khivar life force was not contained in a body so it was easy enough once tess conceived for him to enter the body of the child. Tess said that after max left that night something very strange happened to her. She said that as she lay in bed she suddenly felt a strange and powerful force of energy all around her. She said that there was a flash of light that filled the room and she was unable to move. She said that, as she lay in bed that she felt a strange sensation wash engulf her entire body. It wasn't painful just that it was intense and that waves of energy washed over her for several minutes. She said that as soon as the sensations ended she was able to move as if nothing had happened. Max felt sick over what he had allowed to happen between him and Tess and he didn't have much to do with until she told him she was pregnant. We didn't know at the time that our enemy was literally growing inside of Tess. Khivar had succeeded, he had found a way by combining his own life force with that of Max physical child he was the heir to the throne of Antar. HE carried the seal passed on to him from Max. He was the living genetic heir of max and as so once Max was dead he would assume the throne rightfully and without question. Not long before Tess was about to give birth she was taken by the skins. They used her and the baby as a hostage to lure Max into a trap. Tess had been placed in a unconscious state and the child was taken from her and placed into a pod chmaber similar to the ones we were in except this pod actually helped the baby to grow and mature at a accelerated pace. In five years time Khivar emerged from the pod. His body was now that of a grown man fully mature and ready to assume the throne of Antar. Michael and I were able to free Tess and escape but it was to late the skins already had Max and the baby. During those five years of incubation, the skins tortured Max trying to uncover where we had gone into hiding at. They wanted to get rid of Tess and the rest of us to insure that no one could bring up any questions of Khivars legitimacy later. As Max sister, I still had claim to the throne and this made me a very real threat to Khivar. The skins finally killed Max realizing that they would never be able to get the truth from him. He died trying to keep us safe. The skins have hunted us with out mercy ever since. Only a small band of skins that remained loyal to Michael and a band of rebel humans brought together by Alex and Maria stand to oppose Khivar now. " Future Isabel explained to them as she struggled to maintain her self all the years of pain and sorrow resurfacing.   
" My God Max's own child his enemy,…I didn't know, I thought that I was helping by keeping away from Max. In the end, I am the one that caused max death and the end of the world. I didn't know." Liz old them between sobs. She broke down unable to hold back the shock and guilt. Isabel wrapped her arms around Liz and tried to reassure her. "Liz we can fix this there has to be away."   
Maria looked at Serena. "There is a way right, I mean now that we know the truth we just go tell Max the truth about Tess and then everything is fine right." Maria asked wiping the tears from her own eyes.   
"NO don't you see it really is my fault, even if we go back now and we tell Max, Alex is still dead because of me, I killed him." Liz told her as fresh tears rolled down her face.   
"No Liz you didn't know all this crap. Look Serena there has to be a way to fix this whole mess because none of us deserve this, we are the good guys here remember and the good guys win that's the way it is suppose to be." Maria told them.   
"There is a way, Liz you have to go back to the night of the prom. You have to change the events of that night. If you are able to then these events will have been erased. They will never have happened." Serena explained.

End of part 9  
"If I Stand let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through."


	7. CHapter 7

I don't know what to do. Do I go to Max and tell him the truth? What about the version of myself that is already there. She, I mean I am not about to tell Max the truth. I still believed that he is suppose to be with Tess." Liz told her. 

"Khivar must believe his plan is succeeding in breaking you and Max up. You must go back and confront yourself, you must connivance yourself of the truth so that the night of the prom will change. Max must not kiss Tess. IF things unfold on prom night differently, Khivar will not have a link to Earth. If you will let me, I can give you your memories of your life with Max on Antar. Once you make a connection with him, he will begin to remember your life together. "Serena placed her hands along side of Liz head and closed her eyes. As she concentrated, Liz mind began to be flooded with past memories of her life and love with Max. She felt overwhelmed with the love and devotion she felt for Max it was even stronger then what she had felt before if that were possible. Liz closed her eyes and tears fell down her cheek silently all of what she had been told was now playing out in her own mind. She reopened her eyes as Serena pulled her hands away. She smiled at Liz. "Its all up to you I know that this is putting a lot on you but you must make your other self see the truth. Max and Tess must not be together. Once you and Max are together completely, in all ways, the bond between you will be unbreakable and Khivar will not have a chance to carry out his plan using Tess." Serena told her.   
Liz walked back into the Granilith chamber with Maria and Isabel. Liz turned to look back at Serena. "IF this works what about you, how will we meet again?"   
"I will find you when it is safe. Even if this works, Nicholas and the skins that he commands will still be out there waiting to kill you. This is just a part of the battle Liz, the war is far from over.". 

Liz walked into the Granilith and held on to Isabel and Maria hand. Instantly they were transported back to the morning of the prom. Liz stood up, she walked over and leaned up against the wall of the cave. "So now what?" 

Maria looked down at her watch. "Well if we are when we are suppose to be and not like a million years in the past then I was just getting ready to go over to your house Liz. Remember I was totally upset about Michael not asking me to the prom. We ended up skipping school, remember Max came by for breakfast and we talked him into coming to the prom with the both of us?" Maria reminded her.   
"Yeah I remember. Ok then lets go to the Crashdown and I will confront Me and hopefully by tonight this will all be one really bad nightmare." Liz told them as they hiked out of the cave.

Maria cried out as they emerged from the cave. "Where is my mothers car?" Maria asked near panic. "Oh my Gosh someone stole the Jetta. I can't believe this someone stole my car!" 

"Maria, Maria calm down. No one stole your car. Think about it for a minute. We didn't go back to when we left this is before that. The Jetta isn't here remember. You have your car with you, or at least your other self has it remember?" Isabel told them. Maria took in a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief. 

"OK so now what, it will take all day to walk back into town." Liz told them. 

Maria pulled out her cell phone and held it up. "Think this will work, I mean since it traveled ahead in time with us and all. We could like call ourselves and get a ride." Maria offered. 

"No we can't call ourselves but we could call Alex?" Isabel offered. 

"No Isabel how could you forget Alex isn't here anymore." Maria told her tone suddenly filled with sadness. 

"No he isn't, its just like with the car Alex isn't dead, if we can change things Alex won't die." Isabel told them. 

Maria looked at her as it finally sunk in that Alex was still alive. "Oh my Gosh I totally didn't think of that, so like we can totally save Alex. Oh I have to call him I can't wait to hear his voice and see him." Maria began dialing the numbers. 

"Be careful Maria we don't want to mess anything else up we have to be careful Serena said to have limited contact with people so we don't accidentally cause another rift in time." Liz warned them both. 

Maria shook her head that she understood. She listened in the receiver as it began ringing. "Hello, Alex,...Oh my gosh I am so glad to hear you voice. Yeah its me Maria, yeah I know it's early but Liz, Isabel and I are like stranded could you come rescue us please?" Maria asked as tears formed in her eyes. "Oh thank you,… were at the pod chambers hurry ok." Maria hung up the phone and hugged Isabel. "This is so cool, it was him and he was totally alive and ok. He'll be here in about 45 minutes." 

Isabel wiped the tears from her own eyes. "Listen he is going to want to know why we are all out here so what do we tell him?" Liz looked at them both. "I have no idea. You think of something and will just go along with it ok." Liz walked back up into the cave and looked around as Maria and Isabel decided how to explain this all to Alex. She couldn't help but think of everything that Serena told her about herself. She felt dazed a little by it. She walked over to the pods that held Max and the others for all those years. It seemed so strange to think that at one time she herself depended on this tiny space for life. She placed her hand inside the pod that Max had emerged from. IT felt strange, from the outside it looked as if it were made of stone but on the inside, it felt soft and smooth. Liz closed her eyes for a moment and tried to imagine what it must have been like for the others. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Isabel voice. "Liz are you ok? I know this has been really strange, finding out about your past this way?" Isabel asked her. 

Liz turned and faced Isabel. "OH I am fine. I was just curious I guess, you have your memories of when you came out of the pod but all I can remember is being little with my parents, I have no memories of this at all. It seems so strange to me, the idea that I am not really my parents daughter you know." 

Isabel walked over and hugged Liz. "I know that this is strange and confusing but in the end you are still Liz Parker daughter of Jeff and Nancy Parker. They raised you and cared for you all this time. Liz, your lucky to have been surrounded by people who love you your whole life. When I think about who I was before, this Valandra person its like I am thinking of a stranger you know, that's not who I am now. You shouldn't get all hung up on the who was I stuff because it will just cause you sleepless nights and wrinkles." Isabel laughed. 

It was the sound of Maria voice that brought them both out of the cave. She came running up to get them. "Come on, Alex is here." Alex pulled the car to a stop and got out. Seeing their best friend standing there alive, they all forgot their agreement to behave as if nothing had happened. Alex took a step back as all three girls ran up to him, hugging and kissing him. "OK what gives, why are you out here in the middle of the desert and why the huge public displays of affection?" 

Isabel laughed and smiled at him. "Its nothing Alex really its just that well your our knight in shining armor coming to rescue us and we are really glad to see you that's all." 

"Yeah right, so what is going on do I get an explanation as to why you are all out here or not?" Alex asked half-heartedly. Isabel playfully kissed Alex on the cheek and smiled. "Nope, just think of it as one of those crazy things girls do that you guys never understand." 

"Gotch ya. Ok so where am I taking you home, school, what?" Alex asked as he slid behind the wheel and started the engine. 

"The crashdown, we all want to go the Crashdown right?" Liz told them. Isabel and Maria nodded their head in agreement. They talked to Alex non stop the entire way back to town about everything from school, to the new style of clothes he was wearing, to the knew direction of music he wanted to play with his band. Alex wasn't quite sure what to think about all the attention but he liked it. Isabel kept stealing glances at him when he wasn't looking. She wanted so much to wrap her arms around him and kiss him. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him and that she was sorry for not realizing it sooner but she knew that she couldn't, there was the tiny matter of her other self to deal with first. 

Liz and Maria walked in the back door of the Crashdown as Isabel said goodbye to Alex. "I know this all must seem really strange to you. I just wanted to say thanks for not asking a million questions and well for just you being you. "

"Hey I learned along time ago when to ask questions and when to just let it go when it comes to dealing with woman. I'll see you later at school ok?" Alex said as he got back into his car. 

Isabel waved goodbye and went into the Crashdown to find Liz and Maria. They all three hide the bathroom to discuss what to do next. Maria looked down at her watch. "I'm going to be here any minute, so if your going to talk to Liz you should go do that now." 

"I can't, don't you remember I was in the shower that morning when you got here. I don't exactly want to sneak up on myself in the shower. Who knows I might freak out and slip and fall or something. No I will just have to wait until Max leaves, then we can go up and talk to them." Liz told her. 

"I think I should go to school and talk to Kyle. I remember Tess telling me that it was on prom night that Kyle told her that he only wanted to be friends maybe I can change his mind and then Tess would pursue the interest she said she had in him before. Besides I remember a conversation I had with Max that morning it may have pushed him kind of towards Tess." Isabel confessed. 

Liz looked at her with disbelief in her eyes. "What exactly do you mean kind of pushed him towrds tess?" Liz asked 

"Well he was just really upset about the memories and flashes that he had been having of Tess and you were being really distant, so I sorda of told him he should cut his losses and move on. But in my defense I didn't know then what I know now. Liz, I am sorry I really am." Isabel told her. 

Liz smiled at her. "It's ok. Just make sure that you talk to him this time and not the other you ok." Liz told her.  
"Its not going to do a lot of good for me to change my mind and want to get Max back if he doesn't want to be with me any more." 

Isabel wished them both good luck and then snuck out the back of the restaurant. Moments after Isabel left Maria came rushing in upset and angry about Michael she marched upstairs without noticing the two girls hiding in the bathroom. 

"Ok Max should be here in about 10 minutes. I want to talk to him alone for just a few minutes after he talks to Liz and Maria, I mean after he talks to us." Liz told Maria. 

"I am seriously going to need therapy when this is all down and over with. I have been on such and emotionally roller coaster ride. " Maria told her as she took out the small bottle of oil she carried with her and took in a deep cleansing breath. 

Max walked into the Crashdown to talk with Liz about the prom he was having second thoughts about going. Liz watched from the bathroom as her other self and Maria came downstairs. After they went out into the restaurant, she snuck out into the kitchen to watch themselves with Max. Maria looked at Liz and whispered. "So this is way, strange spying on ourselves I mean. Bet you never thought you would be doing this?" Liz shook her head not really paying attention. Maria looked at herself and then she whispered over to Liz. "So do my hips look fat because I think they look a little heavy? I should take up jogging or something?" Maria asked. Liz motioned her to be quite. "Shh you don't have fat hips, now be quite." 

Both girls were startled by the sound of someone's voice from behind them. "Hey excuse me, is this the Crashdown. I'm new to this delivery route and I'm kind of lost." Both girls just about jumped out of there skin. 

"Yeah, yeah this is the Crashdown, but we are not open today." Liz told him. 

The delivery guy smiled at her sweetly. "I'm sorry I'm kind of behind in my deliveries, I was suppose to have this here yesterday but I got lost would you mind signing for them for me I really don't want to get in trouble with my boss?" 

Liz smiled back at him. "Sure I can. There the strawberries right, my dad was expecting them it will make his day that they finally arrived. You can put the frozen ones in the freezer and the fresh you can leave here I will take care of them." Liz told him as she signed the receipt. 

The delivery guy smiled and thanked her. "You probably just saved my job." He told her as he left. 

Liz looked at the strawberries, they gave her and idea. She opened the top package, put some into a bowl, and washed them off. She took them and placed them down on the table then ran to hide in the bathroom with Maria, while their other selves went back upstairs. Once it was safe Liz grabbed the strawberries and went back out into the restaurant. She yelled to max just as he was about to go out the door. "Hey Max, I needed to, I wanted to ask you?" Liz voice trailed off. As Max turned around she felt, a strange sensation wash over her as if she was seeing him for the first time. IT was strange she had these vivid memories of the two of them together on Antar that Serena had shared with her. Just seeing him standing there reminded her of there past life together. 

"Yeah, Liz what is it?" Max asked as he walked back into the restaurant. Liz walked over toward the counter and put the strawberries down. Watching Max walk towards her, she carelessly spilt the strawberries all over the counter and floor. "Oh, I should have been paying more attention." Liz bent down on the floor and began picking them up off the floor. Max walked over and knelt down to help her pick them up. " This brings back some memories. So what did you want to ask me?" he said holding out a strawberry to her. 

Liz looked into his eyes, he was so close to her she could feel his warm breath against her skin. "Umm, I just wanted to know, well I was wondering if you still?" Liz fumbled around for the words but none came. Max stood up with her as she placed the bowl down on the counter. She turned around to find Max standing extremely close to her. She looked into his eyes feeling completely lost in them. Max looked at her and whispered. "What is it Liz, just ask?" 

"I was just wondering if you ever thought about us anymore, the way we use to be?" Liz whispered back. She felt so drawn to him she couldn't help herself she pulled Maxs head down to hers and kissed him. Max was taken completely by surprise by her actions. He pulled her closer, he still cared about Liz so much and he had wanted to do the exact same thing since she first walked out with the strawberries. It felt so good to hold her like this. In his mind, he began having visions of holding her, of caressing her bare soft skin. He saw the two of them making love under the starry sky, there bodies intertwined in the heat of passion. The vision changed and they were in a large room. She was leading him over to a huge fireplace. He watched as she pulled his shirt off then her own, he took her into his arms and pulled her down to the soft bed of pillows on the floor. Her body arched towards his as they kissed. Max watched as they made love in front of the roaring flames of the fire. The visions seemed so real, so intense suddenly he felt his own desire for her growing beyond his control. He quickly pushed her away confused by the visions he had seen. Liz breathing had grown ragged as she looked into his eyes she hadn't expected the intensity that they shared as the connection of their kiss was made. "Max I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that I don't know what came over me." Liz stammered as she backed up towards the kitchen. Max just stood there staring at her not quite sure what to think about what had just happened. 

Liz went into the bathroom with Maria to wait for Max to leave. She looked into the mirror and then splashed cold water on her face. "Oh I so have to connivance myself to fix things with Max." She told Maria.  


part 11

Liz turned around to face Maria. "Ok how are we going to do this?"

Maria smiled at her. "The direct approach works for me." 

Liz looked in the mirror one last time. "OK then lets go convince me that being with Max won't bring about the end of the world."

As maria and Liz walked through the kitchen door to the restaurant they saw themselves sitting at the counter eating cereal. Maria was the first to see the future versions of themselves as they entered the room. "Liz oh my Gosh! I told you it was going to happen, I told you. The aliens have sent pods and there taking over the world!" 

Liz turned around to see herself standing in the doorway. "Oh my gosh, what is happening here, what, who are you?"

Liz took in a deep breath. "Calm down first of all we are not aliens, were you, we used the granilith to travel back through time from a few weeks from now. I know this all sounds really strange but you have to listen to me Liz, I am you." 

"No this isn't possible because when Max came back from the future he said that he couldn't be any where near his younger self or they would both explode or something." Liz stammered out as she backed away. 

"You have to believe what I am telling you. Part of what that Max told you is true we can't touch or occupy the same space but we can be in the same room together. Please you have to trust us the future depends on what we have to tell you." Liz tried to convince herself and Maria that what they were telling them was the truth.

"I can prove that what Liz is saying is true, the other night after you found that phone number in Michael's apartment after you dropped Liz off at the Crashdown you went home. You called Brody, you were going to ask him to take you to the prom to get back at Michael but you chickened out at the last minute. " Maria explained to herself. 

"How could you possibly know that, I didn't tell anyone about that not even Liz." Maria shook her head as she walked over to stand next to Liz. "Oh my gosh Liz, this is true, this is us. We actually traveled through time. So what happens to me and Michael, does he come crawling back to beg for my forgiveness?" Maria asked herself.

"We have more important things to tell you, its about Max and Tess. Liz this is going to be hard for you to hear but you have to listen to me now, all our lives especially yours and Alex depends on it." Liz explained to them as she retold them everything that had happened.

Isabel hid inside the eraser room door watching herself talk to Alex. She couldn't hear what was being said but she could tell by the look on Alex face that he was confused. She waited and watched as she walked away from him. Alex threw his arms up in the air and shook his head in exasperation. Isabel wondered what she could have said to him that made him so upset. She watched as he walked away, Isabel shook her head, "Dam I can be such a witch sometimes." She thought to herself. She waited and watched as Max came around the corner. She glanced down at her watch realizing that he was just about to run into her at their lockers and ask her about Liz. She opened the door and took a step out into the hall and pulled him into the eraser room with her. Max started to protest but she motioned for him to be quite as she took one last look to make sure no one else had seen her. A quick glance up and down the hall calmed her fears as she closed the door and turned around to face Max. 

"Isabel what is going on why all this secrecy?" Max asked annoyed with her.

"It's just that I am trying to avoid Tommy Harris, he is looking for me to ask me to the prom and I don't want him to ask me." Isabel fumbled for an excuse.

"But I thought you were going with Alex?" Max asked.

"Yeah, right I am but I just don't want to have to let Tommy down he gets all whiny and it freaks me out. SO anyway, what is going on with you? I know you are taking Liz to the prom that's a good thing right. I mean maybe this will be a chance for you two to work things out right?" Isabel asked him.

"Why the sudden interest in my relationship with Liz?" Max asked puzzled.

"Max, I'm hurt I always care about you and what is happening in your life. SO talk to me tell me what is on your heart." Isabel told him.

"All right, fine, yes I am going to the prom with Liz but I don't know what it means. Actually things have been pretty distant between the two of us. I was kind of surprised that she wanted to go with me." Max told her.

"Well maybe she is ready now, I mean maybe she wants to be with you. Do you still feel the same way about her?" Isabel asked.

"I honestly don't know, so much has happened and the truth is some of the memories I have had about Tess have made me even more confused. I still care about Liz but Tess has been there for me." Max told her.

"Yeah but what about all the feelings you have for Liz, I mean Max you have always been in love with her your whole life, you can't just walk away from that. " Isabel told him. 

"The truth is, I am totally confused and this morning has just made me feel that much more confused. I stopped by the Crashdown and well I ended up kissing Liz, my mind was just flooded with all these flashes and images. It was so real, I just wish Liz would talk to me about what happened between her and Kyle. Anyway I have to get to class so I will see you later." Max told her as he left. Isabel shook her head in frustration. "Liz you have to tell him the truth its the only way this is going to work." She mumbled to herself. Isabel waited for the bell to ring before she emerged from the eraser room. She was heading for the door to leave when she heard someone calling her name. It was Tess, she shook her head and turned around slowly with a big friendly smile on her face. "Hey Tess, so late for class?" Isabel asked.

"Yeah, I wasn't even sure I was going to go to class or not, but then this entire day has had me a little freaked out so what about you are you leaving?" Tess asked.

Isabel smiled. "Well actually I have this really terrible headache and I think I am going to head off home before prom and take a nap."

"Maybe that's what I should do to, I don't know I feel to tense to rest though." Tess explained.

"Why what is wrong, I thought you were excited about going to the prom with Kyle has something changed?" Isabel asked.

"Yeah I was its just that well over the last week or so Max and I have been getting a little closer and I was just beginning to think maybe I gave up on us to soon you know. I feel like the time is right for us like maybe something is drawing us closer together. I don't know I do care about Kyle to though." Tess said half heatedly. 

Isabel wrapped her arm around Tess and walked down the hall with her."Listen Tess, I think you should go to prom with Kyle, forget all this destiny and alien stuff for at least tonight and just have fun with Kyle. You said yourself you like Kyle so just have fun that's what I am going to do with Alex." Isabel offered. 

Tess smiled and shook her head. "Yeah it might be kind of fun not to worry about all the other stuff at least for one night and just be normal girl at her highschool prom."

"Right, well I will see you later tonight then." Isabel told her as Tess walked off to class. Isabel turned and headed towards the doors only to bump into Alex. "Dam" she mumbled softly to herself.

"Oh that's nice not to happy to see me I guess. Look Isabel if you have changed your mind about me taking you to prom its fine just tell me." Alex told her.

Isabel looked surprised, "No Alex, no why would you say that, I want to go to prom with you. Really I do." 

"Well it just seemed like earlier you were less then enthused when I was trying to talk to you." Alex explained.

Isabel looked at him and smiled, "Alex sometimes I can be a real witch, please just ignore what ever I said before and take me to the prom. I so want to go with you more then you could ever know." Alex shook his head confused. "Yeah OK, just remember your the one who said that not me." 

Isabel walked out of the school and headed back over to the Crashdown.

Max sat staring at the blank piece of paper in front of him. His mind was a million miles away. That kiss with Liz was all he could think about. It felt so right so wonderful as if he had finally found his way home after being away for along time. He couldn't help it he still had strong feelings for her he just wished he knew the truth about the situation with Kyle. It ate at him day and night, the fact that Liz would keep secrets from him. He still loved her but that would always be there between them a rift that would not heal. But still the kiss confused him, not only the fact that she kissed him but the images that he saw of the two of them together. he felt himself blush a little at the thought of holding her in his arms and making love to her. It was all so real much more vivid then even the memories that he had recently remembered with Tess. He leaned back in his chair and looked out the window. He tried to concentrate on the paper he was suppose to be working on my visions of Liz in his arms kept creeping back into his thoughts. He closed his eyes and tried to remember each image as it flashed across his mind. Liz was curled up next to him in their bed still sleeping after a night of love making. He cherished her, she meant the world to him, no more then that it was as if she was apart of him a part he would never be able to live with out. He reached over and gently brushed the hair away from her face. She was so beautiful so perfect. He ran his hand down her across her cheek and down her neck. He loved the way her body felt. He felt his own desire for her grow in its intensity as he lowered his lips down to hers and kissed her. The sound of the bell ringing interrupted Max thoughts, he let out a deep sigh as he picked up the blank sheet of notebook paper and headed for the door. There was another paper he would have to turn in late, he thought to himself.

  
Isabel walked into the back of the Crashdown and headed up to Liz room. She found the four of them discussing what they had learned on during their visit to the future. "Well I did my part, how are things progressing here?" Isabel asked as she walked into the room.

"Isabel, your with them, I mean you came from the future too?" Liz asked. 

"Yeah, everything that they have told you is the truth, Liz you have to believe them because I can't loose Alex again not now. As for Max, I did my part at school I talk to him about following his heart and that he should remember how much he has always loved you. But Liz you have to tell him the truth about you and Kyle that really hurt him. He has to know it was all a lie. And what ever you do keep him and Tess apart she is trying to pursue him again and I think until he knows the truth they should be kept apart." Isabel told them.

"Yeah okay, I will do my best, but this is just all so confusing to find out that Future Max was really a clone sent by the skins to trick me into ending things with Max and that I am really suppose to be with Max its just all so much to take in." Liz told them as she walked over to her mirror and looked at herself for a moment. 

"Well you two figure this out I have something I have to take care of myself." Isabel told them as she grabbed a pillow off Liz bed.

"What, where are you going?" Future Liz and Marie both asked. 

"I am going to pay myself a little visit to make sure that I don't screw things up with Alex again." Isabel told them.

"What is that suppose to mean?" maria asked.

"Right now I am at home taking a nap because of a terrible headache that I had that day, so I am going to dream walk me and straighten myself out on a few things. If you need me I will be downstairs on the couch." Isabel told them s she headed downstairs.

maria turned and looked at the others, "Can she do that, I mean won't that be like sharing the same space or something?"

"No not really because they won't physically be sharing the same space but I hope she is careful." Liz told them. 

Isabel laid down on the couch and pulled a quilt that was folded up down over her. she lay her head down against the soft pillow and closed her eyes. Actually she was rather tired but she had to focus in on herself, she had to try at least to make herself see just how dear and precious Alex truly was to her. She wasn't even really sure if this would work or not never having had the opportunity to actually dream walk herself before but after seeing the expression on Alex face she knew in her heart that she had to at least try. Isabel concentrated on her own photo as she opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a large room filled with couples dancing. She had done it this was her dream she remembered dreaming about the prom before Alex picked her up. She walked in and saw herself standing with Alex. He was being his usual wonderful self, Isabel smiled to herself. Alex whispered something into her ear then he walked away and left her standing by herself. Isabel walked up to herself. "hello Isabel." Isabel turned around to see herself standing there in front of her. "I don't understand, who are you? Valandra is that you?" Isabel asked suddenly overcome with fear. Isabel reached out and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, its not Valandra, actually I am you. Your dreaming, I came to talk to you about Alex, about you and Alex." The dream changed around the two of them as Isabel tried to grasp what was happening. Now they were standing in her room and Isabel was wearing her sweats. "What do you mean, your me, am I dreaming about myself?" She asked. Isabel smiled at her and sat down on the bed next to her. "Kind of, I have some information for you about the future, I want to make sure you know how important Alex is to you. He loves you and weather you know it or not you love him desperately." Isabel shifted uncomfortably on the bed then she got up and walked over to her bedroom window. "That proves that your not me, because if you were you would know how I feel about Alex, he is a great friend and I care about him a lot but desperately in love with him, no that's not how I feel about him." Isabel shook her head and walked up to herself, "It is how you feel about him you just don't realize it yet, and if you don't realize it soon your going to loose him forever. I told you I have information about the future. I know that if you don't realize now just how wonderful Alex is now your going to loose the chance to be with him forever." Isabel stared at herself, it was almost like looking in a mirror except that her reflection had tears forming in her eyes. She walked back over to the bed and sat down."I can prove that I am you, hidden just inside you closet is a diary you got it right after all this stuff with the FBI happened last year. You keep it hidden behind the shoes boxes, no one knows you have it not even Max." 

Isabel mouth dropped open, "You are me, how is this possible?" 

"I'm dreaming walking your dream but I am from the future and I am telling you that you have to let Alex know how much he means to you, to us, before you loose him. Just tell him, stop playing games and let him know how you feel inside if you look into your heart you'll know he is the only one for you." Isabel told herself as she disappeared. Isabel suddenly sat up in her bed and looked around her room. She wasn't sure what had just happened, she looked inside her closet and pulled out her dairy, she began rereading through it and to her surprise most of the entries where about her and Alex. She leaned back against the wall, that was why she couldn't go through with it with that guy in Las Vegas because deep down inside she had really wanted to be with Alex. After rereading what she had written Isabel realized that everytime se described her perfect guy she was really describing Alex Whitman. She glanced over at her clock, it was getting late she had to get ready. She didn't know why she hadn't seen it before but she was completely head over heals in love with Alex and she couldn't wait to let him know.

Isabel got dress out and placed on the bed. She had even chose red Alex loved seeing her in red she remembered from his dream. She sat down at her vanity and began putting on her make up. the knock at her bedroom door drew her out of her thoughts."Yeah come in, its open." 

"Isabel can you help with this Dam tie, I can't seem to get it." Max asked her as he walked into her room. Isabel stood up and helped him with his tie. 

"all fingers tonight ugh Max. You seem nervous, what's wrong?" Isabel asked him.

"Its just that I feel like a lot is riding on tonight like some how things are going to change drastically, it just has me a little unnerved I guess. Did you see Liz at school at all today. I looked for her but I didn't see her or Maria all day?" Max asked as she straighten his tie.

"No, I think they both skipped school, besides Maria has been feeling pretty broken up, Michael is being Michael again and well you know how that goes." Isabel offered as she walked back over to her makeup.

"Is do you ever thing about you and Michael, I mean do you ever wonder about the two of you and our past?" Max asked her.

Isabel stopped what she was doing and looked at him for a minute. "No not like that, I know that it suppose to be our destiny and all but I just couldn't be with him like that, he's my brother you know, he'll always be my brother that's just the way it is. Besides I don't believe in destiny, we make things happen in our lives with the choices that we make. Now get out of here Alex is going to be here any minute and I am so not any where near being ready." Isabel told him as she pushed him out of the room.

Max walked downstairs and sure enough Alex was already waiting for Isabel. "She'll be right down, I have to go pick up Liz and Maria, we'll see you guys later." Max told him as he headed out the door. Alex fidgeted nervously around the room waiting for Isabel to come down. He didn't know why he was so nervous they were only going as friends, he thought to himself. But then again she had been giving him mixed signals all day long. It was the sound of her voice that drew him out of his thoughts, "So I'm finally ready." Isabel told him from the hallway. Alex walked over to the bottom of the stairs and watched as she came down. She was gorgeous , she was wearing a beautiful long red gown with her hair all done up. Alex smiled as she walked up to him, "Isabel Evens you are so beautiful, you may have to keep reminding me all night that we are just friends." Isabel placed her hand on his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his neck. "What if I don't want to remind you of that, what if I want this to be a real date not just a friendship thing, what would you say to that?" Isabel asked him shyly.

Alex looked into her eyes for a moment, "I guess I would say that I'm not sure how I feel about that?"

Isabel tried to smile but she was disappointed, "Ok what if I said that I was one of the stupidest girls alive for not realizing sooner how wonderful you are and how much you mean to me. What if I said that what I want more then anything is for you to give me another chance, for you to tell me that I'm not to late, what would you say then?"

Alex took her hands in his, "I would probably jump at that offer, but Isabel we have been done that road before and the truth is I don't want to get hurt again, our friendship is to important to me and we almost didn't remain friends the last time." Isabel started to protest but he placed his hand over her mouth, "Its not really how you feel its this night, everyone has these illusions about prom night and romance, lets just go and have fun ok." Alex turned and started to walk away but Isabel pulled him back to her. With out any warning she pulled him into her arms and kissed him. Isabel knew this was right and she could tell he still felt the same way about her as their kiss deepened. With her voice barely above a whisper Isabel told him, "I'm sorry Alex but this isn't about tonight, this is about us and I want to be with you more then anything so please don't make me beg just tell me if there is a chance for us or not because I am completely in love with you Alex Whitman and ..." Alex didn't say a word instead he kissed her again. He couldn't believe what he was hearing Isabel was telling him that she loved him. He had waited forever to hear those words and now finally it was happening. 

Max watched as Liz walked down the stairs. She was beautiful. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. He caught his breath when she smiled at him. That smile it made him feel as if everything was right with the world. Liz looked at Max, she loved him so much and now she could tell him and the two of them could be together.Liz watched as Max walked over to her and smiled at her. "You look really beautiful." Liz smiled as he slide the corsage on her wrist. It was perfect with tiny white rose buds and blue baby's breath surrounding a single perfect white rose. She slowly lifted the flower to her face and breathed in. her senses were filled with the sweet perfume. She leaned in towards Max and carefully pinned a single white rose to his tuxedo jacket. Max closed his eyes as her soft brown hair brushed against his cheeks. He wanted more then anything to take her into his arms and kiss her. she had been on his mind all day ever since that kiss they shared earlier this morning, Max thought to himself. Liz slowly lifted her head, theirs eyes met and she was suddenly very aware of how close their lips were. "Um, I guess we should get going ugh?" Liz whispered.

"yeah I guess we should." He whispered back. They stared deep into each others eyes for a moment longer lost in a world all their own. Max leaned in even closer to her , he felt drawn to her in a way he couldn't explain. "Liz, I have been wanting to talk with you all day, about this morning, about our kiss." Max whispered as their lips almost touched. Liz closed her eyes and was about to kiss him when the sound of Kyle and Tess voice suddenly pulled them apart. 

"So guys are we ready to go?" Kyle asked. Liz was the first to look away. "Yeah just a minute I need to go get Maria, Michael still didn't change his mind about taking her so she is going to come along with us." Liz brushed past Max as she headed into the kitchen and up the stairs to her room. she felt a little unnerved at being so close to him. She felt so nervous about what she had to do. As she walked into her room she so both Maria's, Isabel and herself waiting for a report on what went on downstairs. She smiled. "Well I would say so far so good he seemed to like my dress." Liz told them as she walked into her room. 

"Ok so when are you going to tell him about Kyle and future Max coming to see you?" Liz asked her.

"I have no idea, this is really hard I can't believe how nervous I feel but I will tell him at some point tonight I will let him know the whole truth." Liz assured them all.

"Just remember what is at stake here all our lives are depending on this night happening differently then it did before." Isabel reminded her. Liz and Maria walked down the stairs together just as Michael came out of the bathroom. his mouth dropped open at the sight of her. he smiled a little but Maria didn't even look his way. Liz smiled as they headed out the front door. 

Back in Liz bedroom Maria looked at the other two girls. "So I say we wait for them to all leave then we hit the fridge and pig out big time, after Liz tells Max the truth we will all disappear anyway so there won't be any worry about the calories?" Maria told them to try and lighten the mood. Liz an Isabel both grabbed a pillow from the bed and threw it at her.

If I stand let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through.

Liz walked back into the restaurant, she stopped short when she saw Tess standing next to Max adjusting his tie. Maria knew what she was thinking, she leaned over and whispered into her ear. "Just remember Liz she is a fake and Max loves you, now go over there and make sure that everyone else knows it too." Liz shook her head and walked right up to Max. She didn't wait for Tess to move she just grabbed Max by the arm and pulled him over to the counter."Come on we are going to get a few pictures." Max smiled at her as she drug him along behind her. Tess looked a little annoyed but it soon vanished as Kyle walked over to her and they joined everyone else for the pictures. Liz slide her arm inside of Max and pulled him close. He didn't mind, instinctively he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Having Liz in his arms felt really good he thought to himself.

As they left the Crashdown Maria turned around one last time to see Michael as he headed out the back door. Her heart sank no last minute change of heart, no pleading to be forgiven just the same silent stare he had been giving her the last few days. No wonder my future self didn't tell me anything about tonight she probably didn't want me to be completely bummed out, Maria thought to herself. 

The room was decorated beautifully Liz thought as they walked in. Everyone looked great. She kept waiting for a moment to talk with Max but it seemed as if Tess were always close by. She felt bad for Maria too, she didn't want to leave her all alone, but she had to talk to Max. She realized this wasn't going to be as easy as she thought it would be. Max had walked over to get them both a drink and right on cue Tess followed him over to the punch bowl. Maria interrupted her thoughts, "Girl you better get over there, she is all over Max tonight, go put a stop to it." 

Liz bit her bottom lip. "Maria I have been trying to think of a way to do this all day its just not that easy. I have to be honest, there is a part of me that is kind of doubting this whole thing. I mean what if this is actually a plan of the skins to get me to come between Max and Tess, then what?" 

Maria shook her head, "Liz you can't doubt what they told us, I know its true, look the other Maria knew all about me calling Brody, there is no way anyone else could have known that. Don't doubt this, go and fix things with Max." 

Liz looked at Maria then back over to Max. "But what about you, I feel bad about you being here alone." 

Maria smiled at her, "Get your skinny butt over there or else!" Maria told her as she pushed her towards Max. Liz looked back at her friend one last time before walking up to Max and Tess. "So did you forget about me?" Liz asked. 

Max turned around and smiled at her then he leaned over and whispered into her ear. "That could never happen Liz Parker." Her heart soared at his words. "So how is Maria, I kind of thought Michael might change his mind and show up but I guess not ugh?" Max asked her. 

Liz shook her head, actually that was one of the things she was waiting for, the future version of herself had told her not to worry about Maria because Michael would end up coming and they would work everything out but so far he still hadn't shown up. Kyle rejoined them as the music began to play a slow dance."So Liz how about you and I dance this one and Max and Tess can dance?" 

Liz looked at the expression on Max face realizing what he was thinking about her dancing with Kyle. She was about to tell Kyle no when Tess jumped in and pulled Max unto the dance floor. "Sure that will be fun, I get at least one dance with you tonight don't I Max." 

Max looked back at Tess and smiled. "yeah sure." They both walked out on the dance floor. Liz watched as Max pulled her into his arms, of course Tess leaned in really close to him, Liz thought to herself. She looked back at Kyle who was still standing there waiting for her. "Sure I would love to dance with you Kyle." She lied to him. She kept her eye on Max as they danced, several times he looked over at her. She couldn't read the expression on hsi face though. Tess kept leaning in and whispering to him. It was driving her crazy wondering what was being said between them. 

"So Max have you had any other memories of our home planet recently? Have any of the techniques I was showing you for memory retrieval been working?" Tess asked him. Max glanced over at Liz again then he looked back at Tess. "yeah some, some are very vivid while others are more vague at first then they become more vivid." 

"That's how it was for me too at first. I remember little things like a smell or a taste things like that." Tess told him as she brushed her hair against his face. Max felt something familiar, suddenly he remembered dancing with Tess before. Images flashed across his mind. He saw himself dancing with Tess for the first time, they had just met. He had wanted to dance with her all night but others had kept her attention away from him. He remembered thinking to himself how good it finally felt to hold her in his arms just like he was doing now. IT was the sound of her voice that drew him out of his thoughts. "Max, Max is something wrong? " Tess asked with a slightly puzzled look on her face. Max looked deep into her eyes for a moment, "No its just that I had another memory come to me, it was of us, we were dancing just like we are now except..." Max started to tell her.

"Except it was outside under a star filled sky on our home planet and there were three moons shimmering there light down on us instead of just one." Tess finished his sentence. Max just nodded and pulled Tess a little closer to him.

Liz heart sank when she saw him pull Tess closer. Kyle had been watching the two of them too. "That's why I decided to give up on the whole idea of Tess every being anything more then a sister to me. I thought for awhile maybe she and I might have a chance but look at the two of them its like trying to fight the fates. I guess they are just meant to be together ugh?" Kyle told her. Liz back stiffened at his words and her mind screamed "No!" the music ended and Liz head straight over to Max. Tess was still hanging on his arm. Liz smiled sweetly. "Time for us to switch back after all Kyle is your date I am sure you want to go and dance with him too." Tess smiled at Max and then walked over to Kyle. 

Max looked a little puzzled at Liz tone. "What was that all about?" 

"Oh, nothing its just that I have something I need to tell you and I have been waiting for the chance to all night. Its kind of important too, maybe we could go somewhere and talk?" Liz asked him.

"yeah Liz, we can talk." Max told her as he began leading her out of the room towards the hall. As they were about to leave Isabel and Alex finally showed up. They were arm and arm as they walked in. It looked very much like they had worked things through finally and were back together. Liz wanted more then anything to go and talk with Max but Alex grabbed her by the arm. "Hey Max, can I steal Liz away for a few minutes?" Alex asked. 

Max looked at Liz for a minute knowing she wanted to tell him something and she had said that it was important. Seeing the hesitation on his face Alex pleaded, "Oh come on I kind of need to talk with you for a minute." Alex whispered into her ear. 

Liz looked at Alex then back over to Max and shook her head. "Sure, we can talk, lets go dance." She told him half heartedly. Max smiled trying to cover how annoyed he felt. He was hoping that maybe Liz had wanted to talk to him about her and Kyle, with what happened between them this morning and now how close she was being with him tonight he prayed that she was going to tell him the truth about that night. He watched as Liz was dancing with Alex suddenly more images flashed through his mind but this time they weren't of Tess they were about him and Liz. He remembered watching her dance with someone else. He saw himself walking up to Michael and asking who she was. He not only saw himself staring at her and thinking how beautiful she was but he remembered exactly how he felt, like he knew at that moment that she was the one, that she would be his wife and that for him there could be no other. Max shook his head confused, what was happening to him, first he has these flashes about Tess then Liz. He didn't know what to think. 

Isabel looked at him strangely. "Max are you OK? You look like you just saw a ghost or something?" Max didn't answer he stared blankly at Liz as another vision flashed through his mind of him and Liz dancing together. She was wearing a wedding dress and he was in his tuxedo. They were in Las Vegas again and she was dancing with Alex. He saw himself walk up to Alex and interrupt the two, "Ok enough I want to dance with my knew bride. You go dance with Isabel." Max told him as Alex placed Liz hand into his. 

Liz looked at Max, he was staring at her so strangely. It made her feel nervous, she wanted more then anything to go and talk to him about Kyle and everything but poor Alex was trying to get advice about Isabel form her. "So Liz, what do you think now that Isabel and I are back together, is it to soon to ask her to not go away to school in the fall?" Alex asked. "Liz did you hear me, Liz?" Alex asked again.

Liz turned back to face Alex, "Oh God Alex I am so sorry, I wasn't listening. I promise to listen this time though." 

"Ok, Isabel is graduating early , but you can't tell anyone, anyway, she asked me if I thought she should go away to school in the Fall and I told her yes. The thing is that now we are finally back together and I don't want her to go.Hearing her tell me that she is in love with me, Liz it was my heart just started beating again. I want to ask her to stay here and maybe she could take some classes at the community college or something for one more year. Is that being like the most selfish jerk in the whole world?" Alex asked her. 

Liz was trying to take it all in. "Ok so Isabel graduated this year and she hasn't told anyone yet, and you told her she should go away to college but now you don't want her to go is that right?"

"Yes and you can't tell Max about any of this I am counting on you alright?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, I think you should tell Isabel exactly how you feel about her possibly leaving Roswell. Tell her the truth believe me secrets between people only creates more trouble. Tell her that you love her and that you really want her to stay but hat if she really wants to go you will support her." Liz told him as the music ended. Alex looked back over at Max and Isabel. "I guess I better get you back over to Max he hasn't taken his eyes off of you all while we were dancing." Alex told her as they walked back. 

Max just stared at Liz, all of these strange visions filling his head he wanted to talk with her too. He was just about to suggest they go somewhere to talk when Maria came up to them with huge tears in her eyes. "I think I am just going to leave guys, this was a huge mistake and its the last place I should be with right now." Liz looked at Max, he looked really annoyed. Max knew he couldn't ask Liz to go and leave now that Maria was so upset. He really wanted to strangle Michael right about now. He whispered to Liz, "You better go talk with Maria, we can talk later she needs you." Liz looked at him then back at Maria and let out a huge sigh. She wrapped her arm around Maria and walked her over to sit at the table. Max looked up and saw Tess standing alone at the punch bowl. Maybe she would understand why he was having this mixed up memories he thought.

"If I Stand let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through"


	8. Chapter 8 (Finished)

Liz sat down with Maria, "Don't leave OK, you might miss Michael if you go now." Maria looked at her and confused. "What do you mean I might miss Michael he isn't coming." Liz shook her head, "I wasn't suppose to tell you because Maria, the other Maria wanted you to be surprised but since your so upset I will just tell you Michael show up here at the dance." Maria heart lifted just a bit, "He does, oh Liz that's so great, but what about Juanita, did they say anything about her?" Liz shook her head no. Maria dried her eyes and looked over at Max. "So have you told him everything then? How did it go?" Maria asked. Liz watched as Max started walking over to Tess. "No, I haven't told him yet and I am having doubts about weather I should. Look at him everytime I am not around he goes to her. God Maria what if this is a mistake. I feel so confused right now, its like everytime I try to talk to him someone or something stops me. maybe it is his destiny to be with her and I am the one getting in the way." Maria shook her head, "No Liz I don't believe that for a minute. he loves you, two belong together. Go talk to him right now." Liz looked at Maria, "what about you?" maria shook her head, "I'm fine go and get this over with once and for all got it." Liz walked over to Max who was talking with Tess. Max turned to her as she walked up, "So is Maria feeling any better?" Liz just nodded her head. Tess looked around the room, "I wonder what happened to Kyle?" Max leaned over to Liz and whispered into her ear, "So I think we can finally go and talk if you still want to?" Max asked her hopeful. Liz looked at Tess for a minute, future Max words began ringing in her ears. Suddenly she wasn't sure what she should do. If only, Michael had shown up then she would feel better about this whole thing. "Why don't we go and dance first, I haven't gotten to dance with you yet tonight?" Liz smiled at him. Max was obviously disappointed but he agreed. 

Kyle was just coming out of the bathroom when his old football buddy walked up and slapped him on the back."So Kyle you lucky dog, first you bag Liz Parker now your with that sweet beautiful little thing. Your one lucky guy." 

Kyle smelled the alcohol on his breath right away, "Yeah right Jimmy, why don't you just go on and sleep off what ever it is you have been drinking."

"Oh come on give me some details, is she as good in the sack as Liz Parker was? I mean personally I prefer blondes so I would defiantly love to get my hands on that tight little body over there." Jimmy sneered into Kyle's face. Kyle smiled and tried to control his temper, "Ok Jimmy that's enough, why don't you just go now."  
Jimmy grabbed Kyle by the shirt and slurred into his face, "Oh come on Valenti, don't be selfish why don't you let me have alittle time with that sweet little honey I promise not to wear her out before I send he her back to you." Kyle lost it, he couldn't stand the thought of this greasy drunk ever coming anywhere near Tess, his Tess. He grabbed jimmy around the neck and hit him square in the face busting his nose. "Man, don't ever talk about her like that she is a lady, a very special lady that I just happen to be head over heals in love with so keep your distance, got it?" Kyle yelled at him. Jimmy just shook his head as he held his nose and headed back into the bathroom. Kyle stood there for a minute unable to believe what he had just said, but he knew it was true. Max or no Max he was in love with Tess.

Max held Liz really close as they danced. he wanted to talk to her to ask her why he was having all these visions of the two of them together, he wanted to ask her about the kiss they shared that morning. Most of all he wanted to ask her about that night with Kyle. He hadn't gotten a chance to talk with Tess about it Liz had walked up to soon. God what was he doing, she was so perfect, so wonderful, they should be out talking things out but here he was dancing. It wasn't all bad though he had to admit, he like holding her in his arms. He loved the perfume she wore and the way her hair always smelled like lilacs. Liz laid her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, she could stay in his arms forever this just felt so right to her. The music was playing softly she looked up into Max eyes for a moment. She felt lost in them, she had the most uncontrollable urge to kiss him she couldn't fight it any longer. "Max." His name slipped out of her lips in a breathless whisper as he leaned down and kissed her. Liz felt a wave of desire wash over her. The connection they had shared before was still there strong as ever, images from the past few months flashed before her eyes, of Max and the pain of seeing her with Kyle. Liz quickly pulled away from Max realizing that if she saw flashes of him then he might have seen her with future Max. She still hadn't seen Michael so she wasn't ready to tell him about Kyle yet. Max looked at her with, anger and hurt in his eyes. "Liz what is going on with you? Why did you do that?" Liz stammered around trying to think of what to say. She looked over at Maria who was still sitting alone. "I don't know, I don't know, Max I'm just so confused right now, I'm sorry."

Max pulled her along behind him, "Come on we need to talk." Liz looked over to maria one last time and pulled her arm free, "I can't, Max I can't go with you.I made a mistake before, besides there isn't anything to say." Liz told him as tears filled her eyes. Max looked at her as his expression harden, "that's it then, first you want to talk to me then you don't. You kiss me, then you push me away, well I'm confused to Liz and I'm not playing these games with you any more." Max told her as he walked off alone. Liz stood there watching him go as if time had stopped. She didn't know what to do, a part of her wanted to run after him but then that dammed voice in her head kept reminding her that Michael still had not shown up. 

Maria's hand was beginning to vanish as she raised the spoon of hot fudge sundae up to her mouth, but then suddenly she was solid again. "Oh my gosh what was that? It was like one minute I was fading then the next I am here again. What does that mean."

Isabel stood up and walked over to Liz bedroom window, "It means that Liz still hasn't told Max about us or Kyle, it means things haven't changed yet."

"What if it doesn't work, you guys this is it this was the exact time that I walked out into the hall and saw Max kissing Tess, what if this doesn't work what are we going to do." Liz told them as she glanced at her watch.

Tears filled Isabel eyes as she turned back around, "I'll loose Alex all over again." she whispered softly.

Kyle grabbed Tess by the hand, "Come on we have to go somewhere and talk its important. Tess followed him as they walked out into the hallway. She stopped for a moment as she saw Max sitting alone. Kyle looked over at Max and knew at once that she wanted to go talk to him so he let her go and walked off in frustration. 

Liz was walking over to tell Maria that she had changed her mind about telling Max and that the whole thing must have been some kind of alien trick when Michael came walking through the front door. She couldn't believe her eyes, he looked so wonderful Liz thought to herself. Fresh tears fell silently as she raced over to Maria, "He is here Maria, he is actually here and everything they told us was true. I have to find Max." She felt like her heart was racing as she remembered Liz warning about not letting Max and Tess kiss. "Oh my God I have to stop them" she mumbled to herself as she ran out into the hallway. Max and Tess were sitting and talking on the bench when Liz came running out crying and yelling his name. "Max! Max! wait please!" Tears blurred her vision and she slipped and fell twisting her ankle. As she landed pain terrible pain shot through out her entire body and she cringed and cried out. Liz tried to get up but the ankle was already swelling. Max pulled away from Tess at the sound of Liz voice, he watched as Liz fell and he heard her ankle pop as she landed on it. Without even thinking he ran over to her side. "Liz what is it, whats going on are you ok?" One quick look at the pain on her face and the swelling ankle and he knew she wasn't. He looked around at the crowd of kids that were already forming around them. 

Liz grabbed his arm trying not to think about the shooting pain in her leg as she looked into his eyes, "Oh Max I want to talk to you, I want us to go somewhere, just the two of us so we can talk right now please?" Liz pleaded with him hopeing that she wasn't to late. 

Max looked at her ankle it was beginning to turn black and blue, and it was now twice its normal size. "Liz I think we better get that ankle taken care of first and there are to many people here for me to heal you." Max told her. 

Liz wrapped her arms around his neck, "No Max really my ankle is fine just please tell me I'm not to late, take me somewhere, anywhere so we can talk. Please Max, if you ever cared for me at all please just do this for me." Liz begged as tears poured down her cheeks. 

Max looked over at Tess who was now standing with Kyle and then without saying a word he lifted Liz up gently into his arms and carried her out of the building. Once they were at the jeep Max put Liz down into the passenger side he looked at her for a moment then he slowly ran his hand down her leg and gently slide off her shoe. Liz cringed as a fresh wave of pain shot up her leg. Max looked at her tear stained face. "Are you ok? I think that it will be safe I can heal it now, but Liz when I do I'm going to see things, things that you might not want me to see."

Liz pulled Max hand down to her ankle, "Its ok Max I'm not going to keep secrets from you any more. I want you to know the truth, I want you to know everything." Max looked into her eyes again he wasn't sure that he wanted to know everything. seeing her lying in bed with Kyle was bad enough but what if he saw more he didn't know if he could handle that. Seeing his hesitation Liz put her hand down over his and whispered softly, "I never slept with Kyle, you were right. I faked the whole thing." Max looked at her for a moment longer then he closed his eyes and concentrated on healing her ankle. His hand began to glow as the visions filled his mind. He saw Liz dancing around her room standing in front of her mirror, he saw an older version of himself telling her she had to end it with him. Then came the flashes of Liz trying to help Tess get Max attention, and finally pretending to sleep with Kyle to make him walk away from her forever. He felt overwhelmed with her feelings, the pain she was in was drowning her. As Max healed her Liz felt his pain at seeing her with Kyle, the frustration o her unwillingness to talk to him and his anger at being betrayed by her. She felt afraid the emotions where so dark and raw she had never felt anything like it before. Max opened his eyes and looked at her as tears rolled down her cheek. He didn't fully understand everything that he had seen but he understood enough. He didn't say a word as he got into the jeep and began driving to his house. Liz didn't know what to think, what had he seen and why hadn't he said anything to her. She looked over at him, "Max, where are we going?"  
He looked back at her and she noticed for the first time that he had tears in his eyes as well, "your right we need to talk." 

"If I stand let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through."

Max and Liz walked across his front lawn. He helped her slip off her shoes so she could climb up the side of the house easier. Max helped Liz in through his bedroom window, then he walked over and turned on his light. "We can talk here, both my parents are gone for the weekend. My dad took my mom with him on his business trip,... so do you want to sit down?" Max asked Liz as she stood at the window nervously twitching her hands. She nodded her head and quietly walked over to sit down next to him on the bed. 

"How is your ankle feeling now, better?" Max asked.

"Yeah, thanks again for doing that I guess I must have looked pretty stupid falling like that but I really wanted to talk to you before anything happened,..." Liz stopped short of finishing her statement.

Max looked at her, he could tell that she was nervous, he smiled at her reassuringly. "Liz you don't have to be afraid to talk to me, I mean I saw things when I healed you, but most of it was confusing. I don't understand allot of it. Why don't you just start at the beginning and will go from there." 

Liz let out a deep sigh, "OK. Back in October just before,... before you saw me with Kyle, I was going to get back together with you. I had gone to see a fortune teller with Alex and Maria, I was really happy and excited about what she told me about marrying my true love. That night when I got home I had a visitor, it was you. Or at least I thought it was you at the time. Anyway you had traveled back in time from the year 2014 using the granlith. You told me that you and I had gotten married, but because we were together Tess had left Roswell and cut off all contact with you. This made the three of you weaker and you lost the war with the skins. You told me that on the night you came back from the future Isabel and Michael had both been killed." Max wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. Liz looked into his beautiful eyes and smiled at him as tears glistened in her eyes. "Max I didn't want to hurt you, all those things I said to you that night in your bedroom I didn't mean a word of it, but I didn't know what else to do I had to end things between us, to save Michael and Isabel. To save the world." Tears rolled silently down her cheeks. Max looked at the floor for a few minutes not saying a word. "I saw someone who looked like me only older, was that suppose to me I mean the future version of me, the two of you were dancing together on your balcony?" Max asked her. Liz stood up and walked towards the window to look out at the sky. It was beautiful, the moon was full and the sky was filled with stars. "Yes, that was after you had seen Kyle and I in bed together. Future Max had told me that we had gotten married in Las Vegas and that we had danced the entire night together, I asked if I could at least have my wedding dance, while we were dancing the future version of you vanished as if he had never been there. That's when I knew for sure ..." Liz whispered softly. 

Max walked over to her and lifted her chin so he could see into her eyes, "That's when you knew what for sure?" Max asked her. Liz wiped the tears from her eyes, "That's when I knew that our plan had worked and you no longer loved me." Liz told him. Max stared at her intently, he could feel her pain the sadness that she had been carrying with her. He pulled her into his arms. "Liz I am so sorry, sorry for all the pain you have had to endure because of me." Liz leaned her head down against his chest and closed her eyes. For the first time she realized that Max hadn't denied it, he hadn't said that his feeling for her were the same, he had not told her he loved her. Fear began to well up inside of her maybe he didn't love her anymore she thought to herself.Maybe to much had happened and she had lost him forever. Max wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer almost as if he could read her thoughts. "I am and always have been completely in love with you Liz Parker. That's why I have been such a jerk. The thought of Kyle touching you, hell the thought of anyone else touching you makes me nuts. I'm sorry for being so terrible to you Liz. Can you ever forgive me" Liz heart began beating faster, hearing Max say those words meant the world to her. She began crying even harder unable to control her emotions. Max was confused he didn't know what to think, what had he said to make her more upset. "Liz, I'm sorry what did I say? God I'm doing it again I'm hurting you, I'm so sorry." Liz lifted her head up and smiled at Max as fresh tears ran down her already swollen and puffing face. "No Max, its just that for so many nights I hoped I would hear you say that you still loved me, hoped that it was true and now it is and...I'm just so..." Liz tried to get out the words but she was to overcome by her emotions. Max understood completely he felt the same way too. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly at first but then with more intensity as their desire for one another grew. Liz finally forced herself to pull away from him. "Max there is so much more to tell you." Max grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him over to the bed. He sat down and pulled Liz down along with him, "I know, I know that there is, but for right now for just alittle while I want to hold you in my arms. I want to just lay here and hold you close for while is that ok." Liz smiled at him she laid down next to him and put her head on his shoulder. This felt right, this was how it was always suppose to be just the two of them. Liz closed her eyes and listened to his heart beating. Max held her tight in his arms not wanting to let her go. She was his world and he couldn't believe how close they had come to loosing one another.

Michael walked back into the dance. "Well it seems that Liz found Max. Tess and Kyle said that she came running out into the hall and twisted her ankle or something. I guess Max took her home,.. to many eyes watching to do anything about it here I guess." Maria looked at him and smiled, she couldn't believe it he had actually came to the dance to be with her. She felt like she was in heaven then she remembered Juanita and agree flashed across her face. Michael saw the expression on her face change. "What, what did I do now?" He asked her in frustration. Maria stormed off, she couldn't believe it with everything that had happened she had forgotten all about Michael's little date with the other woman. She didn't answer him but instead headed straight for the door. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back against him, "What did I do wrong now?" Maria looked at him as tears threatened to fall. "I saw you Michael so there is no point in denying it all I want to know is how long?" Maria asked him defensively. Michael looked at her in complete confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?" Michael asked her angrily. Maria pulled her arm free. "As if you didn't know." Michael pulled her back into his arms. "why don't you just humor me and tell me what it is that has got you so ticked off?" Maria shook her head. "Fine I'll go along with this innocent act, I saw you with her I saw you with that other woman, that much older other woman I might add." Maria snapped at him. Michael just stood there not saying a word. Maria tried to pull herself free unable to control the tears that were threatening to fall. "That's what I thought nothing to say right?" Michael held her tightly not want to have to chase her down again. "I am not saying anything because I don't know what the hell your talking about, what woman do you think you saw me with?" Maria wiped the tears from her face and looked at the floor. "The other day when you said you couldn't go out with me, Liz and I broke into your apartment and I found this phone number and address of a woman named Juanita so we went over there and sure enough you were there with her. I saw you through the window." Maria told him her voice barely above a whisper. Michael shook his head, "So if you saw me then you saw me making a complete ass out of myself trying to learn how to dance right? Juanita is a dance instructor I was trying to take some lessons so I could come here to be with you tonight. I knew this whole prom thing was a big deal to you." Maria looked at him in disbelief, "Oh Michael, Oh God Michael I thought, I didn't know I thought you were..." Michael almost laughed, "You were jealous, you thought that I was making it with the dance instructor and you were totally freaked out." Maria slapped him on the arm and tried to pull away from him again to hide her embarrassment. Michael pulled her back up against his chest and leaned down his mouth only inches above hers. "You were jealous and that's why you wen to all that trouble to find out what I was doing admit it?" Michael teased her. Maria looked into his eyes, "Alright I admit it, I was jealous. I'm sorry, I should have trusted you, it just that when you blew me off about the prom I was really hurt and confused. I just really wanted to come here with you." Michael looked deep into her eyes for along time then he lowered his mouth down over hers and kissed her. For the first time Maria felt as if Michael and her connected completely. A strange sensation ran through her entire body and she felt it, for the first time since they had gotten together she felt his love for her. He was opening up his heart to her and sharing a part of himself that he had not shown to her before. Maria was overwhelmed with an incredible since of love as pure joy washed over her.She pulled Michael closer to her pressing her body against his. Moments later he whispered, "Well if its not to late I would really like to try and dance with you, I mean if your willing to risk it that is?" Maria nodded her head as Michael lead her back out on the dance floor. She laid her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes."I love you Michael Gurin, you have captured my heart completely." Michael heard Maria voice whisper softly. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head and held her closer as they danced, he couldn't believe how incredibly luckily he was to have her. 

Alex shifted nervously as Isabel came walking back toward him, she had gone to see what was going on with Max and Liz. "Kyle said that he didn't really know what was going on only that Liz came running into the entry way really upset yelling for Max at which point she fell and broke her ankle or something. I guess there were to many people around so he scooped Liz up into his arms and carried her off, probably going to take her home so he can heal it with out to many questions coming up."

Alex laughed alittle. "Sounds like a scene out of Officer and a Gentleman, very dramatic." Alex told her. Isabel laughed too, "I never thought about it but yeah it does sound like that doesn't it." Alex looked at the floor and shifted around alittle more uncomfortably. Isabel knew something was bothering him but she wasn't quite sure what it was. "Ok Alex I can tell something is wrong so just tell me tell me what it is?" Alex took her hand in his, he looked at her intently, "OK, there is something that has been bothering me and I have to talk to you about it before it drives me crazy lets go somewhere and talk ok." Isabel nodded her head and followed behind Alex as he lead her out onto the balcony. She had the feeling that something was really wrong, now she was the one who was uncomfortable. Alex stopped and turned to face her. Isabel took one look at the expression on his face and her heart sank, he looked so serious as if he maybe regretted there decision to be together again as a couple. Isabel tried to smile and calm the panic that was welling up inside of her. "So what is it, you look so serious all the sudden." Alex took her other hand into his and pulled her alittle closer to him. "It is serious, well at least to me it is, Isabel I just really needed to tell you..." Isabel lowered her head as tears formed in her eyes. "Ok I know what your going to say, your regretting us aren't you, you thought about it and you just want to be friends after all, its OK Alex you can tell me." Alex shook his head, then he gently lifted his hand under her chin and lifted her face so he could look into her eyes. "No Isabel, that's not it at all? I am totally and completely in love with you I'm just afraid that after I tell you what I have to say your going to think I am the biggest most selfish jerk into he universe." Relief flashed across Isabel face as she leaned in closer to Alex. "There isn't anything that you could ever say to me that would make me think that about you Alex." She told him sweetly. Alex let go of her hand and turned away for a moment. "I'm not so sure, but here goes. remember earlier when you asked me about going away this fall to school and if I thought you should go. Well when I told you I thought you should go I didn't really mean it, I just said that because I never thought in million years that you and I ever had a chance of being together again and I thought it might be less painful on my heart if you weren't here all the time, you know reminding me just how beautiful you are and how much I love you. " Isabel walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his back."Are you saying that you want me to stay her in Roswell Alex?" Alex let out a heavy sigh."Yeah I am,...I know this makes me the most selfish jerk around but I really want you to stay, the thought of you being anywhere but in my arms makes me feel sick inside. So there you have it I know that it is incredibly selfish of me to ask that of you and I should be all supportive but I would miss you so much if you leave." Isabel sniffled and squeezed Alex tighter, "OH Alex you have just made me the happiest alien in the entire universe, and I don't think you selfish, in fact I am just so thrilled that you want to be with me after how terrible I have been to you this past year. I am so sorry, I have been such a witch to you." Alex turned around in her arms and placed his finger over her mouth, "You have been through hell this year and we both have grown up allot, I'm just glad we found each other again." Alex lowered his mouth down to hers and kissed her. Isabel was so happy she couldn't believe how good it felt to be held in his arms again, to just be with him. Alex looked into Isabel eyes and smiled at her, "Can I have this dance Miss Evens?" Alex asked in his most gentlemanly manner. Isabel took in a deep breath and extended her hand to him, "This one and every other for the rest of my life Mr. Whitman." Alex pulled her into his embrace and they danced in the moon light as the music drifted softly out to them through the open doorway. 

Kyle looked at Tess and smiled. "Wow, I guess Liz knows how to make an exit ugh?" 

Tess smiled at Kyle. "yeah, I guess so. So Kyle you said you wanted to talk to me about something before what was it?" 

Kyle looked at her then he turned and started to walk away, "No its no big deal, I just thought,...never mind its nothing lets go back inside." Kyle told her as he started walking back inside. Tess grabbed his arm and pulled him back around to look at her. "Kyle I am sorry if I hurt your feelings when I left to talk to Max before, its just that well,.. a part of me..." Kyle smiled at her and shook his head. "NO Tess it is cool you don't owe me any explanations really lets just go back to the dance and have a good time ok." 

Tess didn't let go of his hand instead she pulled him along after her. Kyle followed her out on to the balcony. "We need to talk, I have something's I want to say even if you don't ok. I know you said that I don't have to explain but I really want to ok." Tess told him.

Kyle looked at her and smiled. "Sure whatever makes you happy, I am all ears."

"OK, What I was trying to tell you is that a part of me will always be connected to Max and the others, we have a bond in that we are in this alien war together, I can't help that. If one of us is in trouble or in need I have to be there for them but that's not all of who I am, its just apart of me. There is another part of me that is connected to you Kyle, very much connected to you and well I guess I was hoping that you might be feeling that way too." 

Kyle looked at her. "I'm not sure I understand what your trying to say, feel what way about you? How is it you want me to feel about you?"

Tess suddenly felt very angry and very embarrassed at showing him such emotions. "ALright fine never mind, my mistake." Tess snapped at him as she headed back inside the dance. 

Kyle grabbed her hand and pulled her back into his arms. He looked into her eyes and whispered softly. "Do you really want to know what I wanted to talk with you about before?" Tess nodded her head. Kyle pulled her closer to him, "I wanted to tell you that I have fallen completely in love with you and that I was hoping maybe, just maybe I might have some kind of chance with you. That maybe you might see past Max Evens and realize that you and I are meant to be together because I am sure of it." 

Tess smiled at him. "You are ugh? How can you be so sure that we are meant to be together?" Tess asked him sweetly. Kyle lowered his mouth down to hers and whispered as their lips brushed against each others, "Because Boodha told me." Tess laughed alittle as Kyle lowered his mouth down over hers and kissed her. She couldn't believe the sensations running through her body she felt like she was on fire. If his kiss made her feel like this she could only imagine how perfect it might be to make love with him. Tess smiled as he pulled his head back away from hers. "Wow! That was some kiss, I guess Boodha was right." Tess told him in a breathless whisper. Kyle pulled her back into his arms and kissed her again.

Liz sat up and walked over to the window again. "And that's the entire story, all of it. When you kissed me you were actually kissing the future version of me, that's why you got all of those flashes about our past, about when we made..." Liz voice trailed off not quite sure how she should finish that sentence. Max smiled at her and finished it for her. "When we made love." Liz nodded her head. "Its ok Liz we don't have to do anything that your not ready to do, I love you and I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

Liz turned around and looked at Max, "There's something else Max, something that Serina told my future self just before she traveled back in time to now."

Max walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. "What is it Liz just tell me,... you can tell me anything please don't be afraid to trust me."

Liz looked into his eyes and whispered softly. "Serina said that their would always be a greater threat to us from Kivar until you and I are together,..I mean until the two of us, well you know and I..." 

Max put his finger up to Liz lips. "Shh, I don't want you to worry about that, I'm not going to be with Tess not ever so you don't have to feel pressured for us to be together right now, it will happen when your ready." Max told her. 

Liz took his hand in hers, "The thing is Max, I don't feel pressured, I want to be with you. I mean that, I am ready and I want to be with you now and forever, if you want it to." 

Max reached out his hand to her. "Will you dance with me?" 

Liz smiled, "There isn't any music to dance too." She told him. 

Max held out his hand, the room was suddenly filled with music, it was the song from there wedding night "I Shall Believe". Then Max turned down the lights and filled the room with star light. Liz took in a deep breath. "This is that song, this is the song that we danced to on our wedding night." Liz whispered. Max pulled her into his arms as they began dancing. "I know I saw it in the vision when I healed your ankle, I thought it was only fitting that we should dance to this song now this is after all the beginning of our life together forever." 

"Forever" Liz repeated in a breathless whisper as Max mouth captured hers in a passionate kiss. Liz felt her heart began to beat faster as their kiss grew in intensity. Max ran his fingers through her soft long hair then he wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer to him. Max planned to keep her close to him from now on. As he pulled his head away from hers he looked into her beautiful dark eyes and whispered. "Stay here with me tonight?" Liz nodded her head as Max wrapped her in his embrace and they danced to there song.

IF I Stand let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through


End file.
